"How To Tell If You Need More Iodine: One of the first indicators is belly fat in men. When the abdominal muscles disappear under a layer of fat, a pot belly, insulin resistance or syndrome X is present. In women the fat also occurs on the hips. The medical literature is finally talking about this fat as a major indicator or symptom of underlying risk to cardio-vascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and all the inflammatory diseases that plague industrialized societies. If you have excess “belly fat” you are at risk to all of the above as well as sub-clinical hypothyroidism resulting from Iodine deficiency..."