(XINHUA is the official news agency of the People's Republic of China)

BEIJING (Feb. 5) XINHUA - In a move to reduce the high rate of disease caused by iodine deficiency, Tibet this year will promote the use of iodized cooking salt in the region, rather than spreading iodized tea as before.

Health News has reported that Tibet plans to build four iodized salt factories to meet the needs of local residents. The number of iodine deficiency cases in the Himalayas regions ranks in the top six in the world.

Since 1993, Tibet has been popularizing iodized tea, hoping the drink will act as a substitute for iodized salt and iodized oil pills.

But the effort failed, according to a 1996 report issued by a joint research team involving the office on the prevention and treatment of endemic disease and United Nations Children's Fund.

A team survey of 263 primary school pupils in six township schools in Tibet showed that just over 64 percent of the pupils there had enlarged thyroids.

The researchers also found that sales of non-iodized salt were widespread in the Tibetan salt market.