Ministry of Health: Half of Iran's Population Over 30 Lack Sufficient Physical Activity

The Non-Communicable Diseases Management Office of the Ministry of Health stated on Friday, November 17, that 50% of Iran's population over 30 years old do not engage in sufficient physical activity. According to 'Etemad Online', Kourosh Etemad mentioned that this lack of activity leads to increased hypertension and diabetes among individuals. The Non-Communicable Diseases Management Office had previously reported that 7 million people, equivalent to 14% of the population over 30 in Iran, are diabetic. The CEO of Tehran's Municipal Sports Organization also announced that the average physical activity in Iran is 13 minutes. The President of the General Sports Federation stated on Friday that about 80% of Iranian society is 'inactive', emphasizing that this situation is more prevalent among women. These statistics are released at a time when, in addition to the lack of suitable spaces for walking and daily exercise, gender segregation in gyms and strict regulations have posed significant challenges to sports and physical activity, especially for women. Recently, the public relations of the 'Cultural and Sports Complex of Enqelab' announced that the health road of this club has been closed for 'repair and preparation for the cold season and upcoming rains'. However, some social media users claim that the main reason for the closure of the health road was women's optional dress code. A while ago, the Deputy for Women's Sports Development at the Ministry of Sports and Youth acknowledged that 'the unveiling of female athletes and women's presence in stadiums are among the challenges faced by the Ministry of Sports.' Research from the Open Data of Iran indicates that women's share of the total athlete population in the country is about 36%, as 'Iranian women face many restrictions on sports activities, especially in open and public spaces due to mandatory hijab.' Professional female athletes also face numerous difficulties and barriers to compete domestically and shine on the international stage, leading many to prefer emigration over continuing their activities in Iran. Nevertheless, studies from the Open Data of Iran show that 'women have succeeded in recent years in some popular sports such as volleyball, handball, taekwondo, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, badminton, equestrianism, and general sports, achieving a higher share of athletes than men.' Under the government of Ebrahim Raisi, with increased enforcement of mandatory hijab, sports restrictions have also intensified. Recently, the news of halting women's activities in bodybuilding made headlines. Maryam Kazemipour, the Deputy for Women's Sports Development at the Ministry of Sports, responded to criticisms by stating that the Bodybuilding and Bodybuilding Federation will approve and announce new regulations 'while respecting cultural and social issues' in this field. Although issues related to women's presence in sports in Iran, including the dress code of Iranian female athletes or women's presence in stadiums, are not new in the Islamic Republic, they have attracted increasing attention from human rights advocacy groups and global sports organizations in recent years. Recently, a group of Iranians abroad requested the International Olympic Committee to exclude Iran from the 2024 Paris Olympics due to government discrimination against women in sports. Mahyar Monshipour, a former world boxing champion of Iranian descent, and Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, are among the figures who have asked the International Olympic Committee to ban Iran from participating in the Paris Olympics. Farzad Farahdian: Women's sports with mandatory hijab is like exercising in a sauna with a tracksuit. The Iranian women's national football team has missed the 2024 Paris Olympics. The ban on women's entry to Afghanistan's national parks; Taliban: Tourism is not essential, mandatory hijab is. A 'special' order from the Minister of Interior to 'investigate' the presence of a female athlete without a hijab in Kelardasht. Open data of Iran: only 36% of Iranian athletes are women. The French State Council: The Football Federation has the right to ban hijab in women's competitions.