World Thyroid Day 2026
May 25 is World Thyroid Day (WTD). Established by the European Thyroid Association (ETA) in 2008, it has been commemorated annually since 2010, following the International Thyroid Congress in Paris, by the three sister associations: the American Thyroid Association (ATA), the Latin Thyroid Association (LATS), and the Asian Oceanic Thyroid Association (AOTA).
The Day is the core event of International Thyroid Awareness Week (ITAW), which this year will be held from 25 to 31 May, and is promoted and supported by the global nonprofit network of patient organizations known as Thyroid Federation International (TFI).
WTD acknowledges the thyroid community—clinicians, researchers, teachers, and nurses—for their commitment to patient care and to advancing understanding of this gland, its diseases, and their treatment while also reaffirming our dedication to our patients. A primary goal of this Day’s celebration is to raise public awareness about the thyroid gland’s importance to health and well-being across the lifespan. During this week, in many parts of the world, campaigns are held that focus on target groups, including children, women, pregnant women, and the elderly, who are most susceptible to thyroid disease.
This year, WTD and ITAW also strongly emphasize Nutrition and its importance for thyroid health.
Dietary sources often prove insufficient to maintain optimal levels of Essential Nutrients, i.e., micronutrients, macronutrients, and essential elements. Deficiencies in key micronutrients, such as iodine, selenium, and iron, may predispose individuals to thyroid dysfunction and anemia. Deficiencies in key macronutrients can impair immunity and muscle maintenance. Finally, the effects of key essential elements on thyroid homeostasis are vital and multifaceted, as they regulate hormone synthesis, metabolism, and immune function.
Universal salt iodisation is considered the most effective way to ensure sufficient
iodine intake in the population; however, it has not yet been universally adopted, especially among vulnerable populations, during pregnancy and puberty.
Natural catastrophes, flooding and/or drought, and the expansion of war zones in various parts of the planet have led to insufficient nutrition and iodine deficiency, resulting in an unprecedented food crisis involving an estimated 2 billion people around the globe. This includes millions of undernourished and famine-stricken children. The ETA supports the efforts of the WHO and the Iodine Global Network to provide as much assistance as possible.
This year, we are fighting for better nutrition with sufficient iodine, iron, and selenium, in women during pregnancy, in children, and among the elderly.
We ask all stakeholders to assist those in great need, expand the food supply, and increase educational projects and awareness wherever possible.
We strongly recommend healthy foods that provide all the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals the thyroid needs; these can be important as a preventive measure against thyroid disease.
Eat well to keep your Thyroid well!
Let Us All Enthusiastically Celebrate World Thyroid Day, 25th May 2026!
Leonidas Duntas
On behalf of the ETA Public Health Board
An ETA Public Health Board Statement: Leonidas Duntas (Co-Chair, Athens), Peter Kopp (Co-Chair, Lausanne), Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen (Copenhagen), Corin Badiu (Bucharest), Adriana Gaspar da Rocha (Porto), Rodrigo Moreno-Reyes (Brussels).