This alarming trend has sparked concern among health experts, who point to lifestyle changes, lack of proper diet, and physical inactivity as key factors contributing to the rising obesity rates, IRNA reported.
Speaking at the 5th International Clinical Nutrition Congress in Tehran, Norouzi emphasized that Iran is already among the 42 countries with high obesity rates and warned that the country will reach the 9th position by 2035 if the current trend continues.
He also highlighted the importance of proper nutrition in preventing and managing diseases, citing the case of Gaza, where over 96% of the population suffers from severe food shortages and malnutrition.
The congress, which kicked off on Wednesday and will wrap up on Friday, focuses on the theme "Hospital Malnutrition: A Threat for Patients' Recovery." Experts at the event stressed the importance of clinical nutrition in treating and managing diseases, and called for greater awareness and education on healthy eating habits.
According to Fereydoun Azizi, Head of the Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, around 60% to 70% of Iranian adults are either overweight or obese, with lifestyle changes, physical inactivity, and consumption of high-calorie foods being major contributing factors.
Mohammad Hasan Javanbakht, a university professor, noted that around 8 million deaths worldwide are attributed to nutrition-related risk factors, and that a 5-unit increase in body mass index (BMI) increases the risk of mortality by 30%.
The Iranian Society for Clinical Nutrition condemned the use of food as a tactic of war, particularly in the case of Gaza, where over 96% of the population suffers from severe food shortages and malnutrition.
The experts at the congress emphasized the importance of nutrition in preventing and managing diseases, and called for greater awareness and education on healthy eating habits. They also highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence in analyzing nutritional needs and planning personalized diets.
NOURNEWS