A responsible official at Iran's Food and Drug Organization warned on Wednesday, November 5, that the daily caloric intake in Iran is higher than the global average, raising concerns about the risk of obesity among Iranians. Behrouz Janat, the Director General of Food, Cosmetic, and Health Product Supervision and Evaluation at the Food and Drug Organization, stated, "Every person needs between 2,000 to 2,400 calories daily, while our caloric intake exceeds the global standard by over one thousand calories." He identified excessive caloric intake as a contributor to cardiovascular diseases and cancer, announcing initiatives by the Ministry of Health to reduce caloric consumption in the country. According to Janat, the 'Traffic Light' scheme is one of these initiatives, which has so far been implemented on 1,800 products by installing nutritional value labels on these items. Iran's Health Minister Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi had also announced last year that half of the Iranian population is overweight and warned about the consequences of obesity. Abbas Jafariyan, Deputy of Food and Drug at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, emphasized the need for dietary pattern reform in Iran on World Food Day, stating that daily sugar and salt consumption in Iran is more than five times that of developed countries. Previously, Reza Malekzadeh, Deputy for Research and Technology at the Ministry of Health, expressed concern about lifestyle and rising obesity in Iran, urging people to avoid fats, sugars, salt, cigarettes, fast foods, and prepared meals to prevent heart and brain strokes. Hedayat Hosseini, President of the Institute of Nutritional Research and Food Industries of Iran, also warned last April about the obesity trend in Iran, identifying it as a significant factor in non-communicable diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Zahra Abdollahi, Director General of the Nutrition Improvement Office at the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education, announced last December that 88% of the Iranian population has unhealthy diets. According to Medical Express, an international team of researchers recently reported that excessive obesity can be linked to eight types of cancer: stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, ovarian, thyroid, meningioma (a type of brain tumor), and multiple myeloma. This research, published last September in The New England Journal of Medicine, shows that maintaining weight as one ages reduces the risk of these cancers. The study indicated that over 640 million adults and 110 million children worldwide are affected by obesity.
Obesity in Iran; Daily Caloric Intake 'One Thousand Calories' Above Global Average
Iranian officials have raised alarms about rising obesity rates, with daily caloric intake exceeding global averages by over 1,000 calories. Health experts are advocating for dietary reforms as obesity is linked to serious health issues, including various cancers. This issue is significant as it reflects broader public health challenges in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iranian officials have reported that the country's daily caloric intake exceeds the global average by over 1,000 calories, raising alarms about rising obesity rates and associated health risks. Initiatives are being launched to address these concerns through dietary reforms.
- Half of the Iranian population is reported to be overweight.
- 88% of the Iranian population has unhealthy diets according to health officials.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Obesity is a growing global concern linked to various health issues, including cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. In Iran, changing dietary patterns and lifestyle choices are contributing to this trend.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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