Household consumption share of iodized salt as of 2021, by select world region

As of 2021, 88.7 percent of households worldwide were consuming salt with iodine. The region with the lowest iodized salt consumption in the world was Eastern and Southern Africa, at 81.5 percent of households. The addition of iodine to salt is a widely used method of preventing iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) which can lead to complications for pregnant women and learning disabilities in young children. Iodine supplements are also used to prevent radiation injury to the thyroid gland.