Since 1990, many countries world-wide implemented salt iodisation programs in an effort to tackle iodine deficiency. It was however only during the last few years that an effort was undertaken in order to eliminate iodine deficiency as a public health problem in Belgium. In autumn 1998, a nation-wide study among children clearly showed mild iodine deficiency in Belgium, but no action was taken before 2009. It was only in the framework of the first National Nutrition and Health Plan 2005-2010 that iodine deficiency was formally recognized as a public health problem. An agreement between the Ministry of Health and the bakery sector in April 2009 aimed to encourage and increase the use of iodised salt in the production of bread. A selective and progressive approach was used in order to keep control and to avoid a too rapid increase of iodine intake or an excessive iodine intake among the population. It was calculated that the net yearly savings after installation of such a program amount to at least 14 million Euros a year. A recent national survey among school-aged children in autumn 2010 showed a clear and significant improvement in iodine status compared to more than 10 years ago, suggesting iodine sufficiency among school-aged children. The median urinary iodine concentration was however at the lower end of the optimal range and seasonal effects were not taken into account. The improvement was at least partly linked to the increasing use of iodised salt in the bakery industry. However, some further silent iodine prophylaxis might also have occurred, due to changing dietary habits (milk and fish consumption). Pregnant women and women of child-bearing age in Belgium were found to still suffer from mild iodine deficiency according to the current recommendations. This is at least partly linked to their lower consumption of milk and dairy drinks compared to children and due to the higher iodine requirements during pregnancy. Although the use of iodine-containing supplements among pregnant women was found to be quite ...