Roger Moore visits Cambodia on a UNICEF mission for iodine and diets

Sir Roger Moore has visited Cambodia to encourage people to get the correct amount of iodine in their diet, through eating salt.

Sir Roger, a goodwill ambassador for the charity Unicef, went to the country`s major salt-producing province of Kampot. A lack of iodine can Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) which leads to mental and physical disabilities.

Severe iodine deficiency in the diet can result in mental retardation and even a mild case of IDD can cause a noticeable reduction in learning ability.

Sir Roger said: "The lack of iodine in our diet has a horrifying effect on the thyroid and we in our lifetime need exactly one teaspoon of iodine in our lifetime but it has to be spread throughout our lifetime."

He said it was a priority to raise awareness about the importance of iodine.

Sir Roger said: "Not everybody knows why they should have iodised salt and this is in one of our big expenses is in awareness, not only supplying equipment such as these three machines here for iodising salt."

The former Bond star said iodised salt was a good way of making sure people got iodine in their diet. Sir Roger is expected to urge the Cambodian government to quickly pass a new law requiring all salt in Cambodia to be iodised. He also plans to discuss the issue with Cambodia`s King Norodom Sihanouk.

"The lack of iodine in our diet has a horrifying effect on the thyroid and we in our lifetime need exactly one teaspoon of iodine in our lifetime but it has to be spread throughout our lifetime" - Sir Roger Moore

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