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2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 MARCH 2024 NEWS church.mt NAXXAR COLLEGIATE CHURCH INVITATION TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS The Administrative Secretary of the Archdiocese of Malta will receive proposals for the installation and testing of luminaires and a lighting control system for the exterior of the Naxxar Collegiate Church, and the repaving of the parvis. Interested parties may submit requests for the tender documents and further information by sending an email on naxxar.tender@maltadiocese.org by not later than Monday 11th March 2024 at 11:00am. Submissions should be made in person at the Archbishop's Curia, St. Calcedonius Square, Floriana FRN 1535, Mondays to Fridays between 8:00am and 5:00pm, in a sealed envelope clearly marked 'Naxxar Tender', by not later than Friday 22nd March 2024 at 11:00am. A tender box will be provided for this purpose. Only proposals received through this tender box will be considered. The bidders will be informed in writing in due course whether their proposal was selected or not. The right is reserved to refuse any proposal, even the most advantageous one. Late submissions will not be considered. Gozitans have healthier thyroids. A study published in the Malta Medical Journal has reported a lower incidence of hypothy- roid cases in Gozo than in the rest of Malta. However, the authors are suggesting more studies in a bid to establish the reason be- hind this geographic variation, and whether greater exposure to perchlorate, a byproduct of fireworks but a chemical also found in food packaging, is a contributing factor to higher levels in Malta. Hypothyroidism is a common condition where the thyroid gland does not create and re- lease enough thyroid hormone into the bloodstream. This condition can lead to a higher risk of heart disease and heart failure. People with an under- active thyroid tend to develop high levels of low-density lipo- protein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as "bad" cholesterol. The most common cause of hypothyroidism worldwide is iodine imbalance related to dietary intake, particularly of heavily processed and frozen foods. However, another poten- tial cause of hypothyroidism is perchlorate exposure. Per- chlorate is a powerful oxidiz- ing agent used commercially in propellants, in food packag- ing where its is often used as an anti-static agent, and fire- works. People can be exposed to perchlorate either by inhal- ing dust or by consuming con- taminated food and water. The study, which analyzed thyroid function tests (TFTs) from routine or clinically in- dicated blood testing carried out between 2008 and 2017, reveals that Gozo has a hypo- thyroid incidence rate of 1,173 cases per 100,000 people In contrast, the incidence rate increases to 1,476 cases in the northern region and to 1,446 cases in the western re- gion. Additionally, a relative- ly low hypothyroid incidence rate of 1,255 per 100,000 peo- ple is reported in the north harbour region. According to the authors, the lower rates of hypothyroidism in Gozo may indicate that peo- ple living in Malta are more exposed to potential environ- mental factors, including 'de- ficient iodine intake' or higher perchlorate exposure, both of which are known to be linked to clinical hypothyroidism. The consumption of high quantities of packaged foods which include perchlorate could also be one of the die- tary factors contributing to the higher hypothyroidism rates in some regions. Higher perchlorate in ground water The study offers a clue about the lower rates of hypothy- roidism in Pembroke, Swieqi, and San Gwann, three adja- cent localities in the Northern Harbour District, where po- table water is solely sourced from desalinated seawater. Since perchlorate levels tend to be much lower in seawater than in groundwater, perchlo- rate contamination of pota- ble water from groundwater sources might be providing The different scale of firework displays in Gozo could be a reason why Malta reports a higher rate of hypothyroid cases, but other factors like lower consumption of packaged processed foods in Gozo could also be the reason for healthier thyroids. JAMES DEBONO reports. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt The lower rates of hypothyroidism in Gozo may indicate that people living in Malta are more exposed to potential environmental factors, including 'deficient iodine intake' or higher perchlorate exposure, both of which are known to be linked to clinical hypothyroidism