Question

Which condition is known to be highly endemic in Sub-Himalayan regions?

• A. Xerophthalmia
• B. Protein-Energy Malnutrition
• C. Goitre
• D. Anemia

Hint:

Associate specific geographical "belts" with nutritional deficiencies:

\textbf{Sub-Himalayan Belt} $\rightarrow$ Iodine Deficiency $\rightarrow$ \textbf{Goitre}.
Fluorosis can also be endemic in certain regions with high fluoride content in water.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understand the geography and environment of the Sub-Himalayan region. Step 1: The soil in mountainous regions, including the Sub-Himalayan belt, is often deficient in iodine. The iodine gets washed away by rain and glaciers.
Step 2: Link the environmental deficiency to a nutritional disorder.
Step 2: When the soil is deficient in iodine, the crops grown in it and the water from it are also low in iodine. Humans and animals living in this region who consume local food and water do not get enough iodine. Iodine is an essential micronutrient required by the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones.
Step 3: Identify the resulting health condition.
Step 3: A chronic deficiency of iodine leads to the thyroid gland enlarging in an attempt to capture more iodine from the blood. This enlargement of the thyroid gland is called goitre. This entire region is famously known as the "goitre belt" of India. While other nutritional problems like anemia can exist, goitre is the most characteristically endemic condition linked to the geography of this specific region.