Assessment of Iodine Content in Table Salt Used by Patients with Thyroid Disorders in the City of Tobruk, Libya

According to the World Health Organization, about 2.4% of the world's population still suffers from iodine deficiency despite global efforts. Iodine deficiency remains a major public health problem worldwide, and iodized salt is an effective strategy for preventing thyroid disorders. The results of this study show that there is a large discrepancy in the iodine content between the types of table salt used by fifty people with a thyroid disorder in the city of Tobruk, Libya. Some of the most widely used and consumed types of local salt lack iodine, while other types contain concentrations that exceed the permissible limits according to the standards of the World Health Organization. In light of the noticeable increase in the number of cases during the period (2022-2025), women are considered to have the highest percentage and the presence of cases among children and adolescents. In general, the results confirm the strengthening of health control over table salt in the city of Tobruk, and the imposition of a co