Iran
- Overview
- Obesity prevalence
- Trends over time
- Contextual factors
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National obesity risk *7.5/10This is a composite ‘obesity risk’ score (out of 10, the highest risk) based on obesity prevalence, rate of increase, likelihood of meeting the 2025 target, treatment indicator and childhood stunting levels.Childhood obesity risk *5.5/11This is a ‘risk score’ for each country’s likelihood of having or acquiring a major childhood obesity problem during the 2020s, taking account of current prevalence levels and risk for future obesity (based on stunting among infants, maternal obesity, maternal smoking, and breastfeeding rates).
Obesity prevalence
Trends over time
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The report card collates all the most-recent graphics for this country. If you would like to produce a custom report based on selected graphics, just tap the Add to custom PDF button below the graphics you would like to use.Population breakdowns
Drivers
Comorbidities
Economic impact
Policies
Contextual factors
Obesity prevalence
Adults, 2021
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 18+ |
Sample size: | 27745 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Djalalinia S, Yoosefi M, Shahin S, Ghasemi E, Rezaei N, Ahmadi N, Rezaei N, Azmin M, Rezaei S, Nasserinejad M, Mohammadi E, Haghshenas R, Shabestari AN, Jamshidi H, Dastjerdi MV, Larijani B, Farzadfar F. The levels of BMI and patterns of obesity and overweight during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experience from the Iran STEPs 2021 survey. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Dec 1;13:1043894. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1043894. PMID: 36589796; PMCID: PMC9798439.v |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Adults, 2016
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 18+ |
Sample size: | 31050 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Djalalinia S, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Sheidaei A, Rezaei N, Naghibi Iravani SS, Modirian M, Zokaei H, Yoosefi M, Gohari K, Kousha A, Abdi Z, Naderimagham S, Soroush AR, Larijani B, Farzadfar F. Patterns of Obesity and Overweight in the Iranian Population: Findings of STEPs 2016. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Feb 26;11:42. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00042. PMID: 32174887; PMCID: PMC7055062. |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Adults, 2015
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-65 |
Sample size: | 2818 |
Area covered: | Subnational (East-Azerbaijan) |
References: | Tabrizi et al. (2018). Prevalence and Associated Factors of Overweight or Obesity and Abdominal Obesity in Iranian Population: A Population-based Study of Northwestern Iran. Iran J Public Health.47(10):1583-1592. |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Women, 2014
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-50 |
Sample size: | 1250 |
Area covered: | Regional |
References: | Yaghoobi, M. et al. 2015. The Prevalence of Obesity and Overweight in Iranian Women: A Study in Zahedan (Southeast of Iran). Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences. 3(3F). pp. 1411-1415. |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Adults, 2011
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-64 |
Sample size: | 12000 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Iran 2011 STEPS National Report https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/ncds/ncd-surveillance/data-reporting/iran/steps/iran-2011-steps-report.pdf?sfvrsn=77f321fd_2&download=true (Accessed 14.09.23) |
Notes: | 12000 Sample size is for full survey, approx 8000 took part in physical measurements. |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Adults, 2009
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-64 |
Sample size: | 29101 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | WHO EMRO IRAN STEPS SURVEY 2009 http://www.who.int/chp/steps/iran/en/ (last accessed 18th November 2014) |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Adults, 2005
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-64 |
Sample size: | 89404 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | WHO infobase. Alikhani S. NCD risk factor surveillance system, Center for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, I. R. Iran. |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Adults, 2001-2003
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 18+ |
Sample size: | 18307 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Ebrahimi, S., Leech, R.M., McNaughton, S.A., Abdollahi, M., Houshiarrad, A. and Livingstone, K.M. (2021), Associations between diet quality and obesity in a nationally representative sample of Iranian households:a cross-sectional study. Obes Sci Pract. Accepted Author Manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.536 |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Adults, 1993-1994
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 20-74 |
Sample size: | 3378 |
Area covered: | Southern Iran |
References: | Pishdad GR. Overweight and obesity in adults aged 20-74 in southern Iran. IJO. 1996;20:963-965 |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Children, 2015
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 10-12 |
Sample size: | 2506 |
Area covered: | Regional |
References: | Moradi G, Mostafavi F, Azadi N, Esmaeilnasab N, Ghaderi E.Socioeconomic Inequality in Childhood Obesity.J Res Health Sci. 2017 Aug 15;17(3):E1-6. |
Notes: | Region: Sanandaj, Western Iran, NB. Combined child data estimated. These estimates were calculated by weighting male and female survey results. Weighting based on World Bank Population % total female 2019 (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS - accessed 21.10.20)' |
Definitions: | Cut off: WHO 85th & 95th Centile |
Cutoffs: | WHO |
Girls, 2015
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 12-18 |
Sample size: | 3178 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Shayan-Moghadam, R., Heidari-Beni, M., Riahi, R., Motlagh, M.E., Fesharaki, S., Heshmat, R., Daniali, S.S. and Kelishadi, R., 2020. Assessment of Lifestyle and Eating Habits among a Nationally Representative Sample of Iranian Adolescent Girls: the CASPIAN-V Study. Archives of Iranian medicine, 23(8), pp.522-529. |
Cutoffs: | WHO 2007 |
Children, 2015
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 7-18 |
Sample size: | 14274 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Motlagh ME, Ziaodini H, Qorbani M, Taheri M, Aminaei T, Goodarzi A, Ataie-Jafari A, Rezaei F, Ahadi Z, Shafiee G, Shahsavari A, Heshmat R, Kelishadi R. Methodology and early findings of the fifth survey of childhood and adolescence surveillance and prevention of adult noncommunicable disease: The caspian-v study. Int J Prev Med 2017;8:4. https://www.ijpvmjournal.net/text.asp?2017/8/1/4/198915 |
Cutoffs: | WHO |
Children, 2012-2013
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 6-12 |
Sample size: | 2195 |
Area covered: | Semnan Province |
References: | Karimi B, Ghorbani R. Overweight and Obesity in the Iranian Schoolchildren. Middle East J Rehabil Health. 2015 January; 2(1): e24433. |
Definitions: | CDC 85th/95th Centile NOT IOTF International Cut off |
Cutoffs: | CDC |
Children, 2003-2004
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 6-18 |
Sample size: | 21111 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Kelishadi R, Ardalan G, Gheiratmand R, Majdzadeh R, Hosseini M, Gouya MM, Razaghi EM, Delavari A, Motaghian M, Barekati H, Mahmoud-Arabi MS, Lock K; Caspian Study Group. Thinness, overweight and obesity in a national sample of Iranian children and adolescents: CASPIAN study. Child Care Health Dev. 2008;34(1):44-54. |
Cutoffs: | IOTF |
% Adults living with obesity, 2001-2021
Men
Survey type: | Measured |
References: | 2001: Ebrahimi, S., Leech, R.M., McNaughton, S.A., Abdollahi, M., Houshiarrad, A. and Livingstone, K.M. (2021), Associations between diet quality and obesity in a nationally representative sample of Iranian households:a cross-sectional study. Obes Sci Pract. Accepted Author Manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.536 2011: Iran 2011 STEPS National Report https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/ncds/ncd-surveillance/data-reporting/iran/steps/iran-2011-steps-report.pdf?sfvrsn=77f321fd_2&download=true (Accessed 14.09.23) 2016: Djalalinia S, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Sheidaei A, Rezaei N, Naghibi Iravani SS, Modirian M, Zokaei H, Yoosefi M, Gohari K, Kousha A, Abdi Z, Naderimagham S, Soroush AR, Larijani B, Farzadfar F. Patterns of Obesity and Overweight in the Iranian Population: Findings of STEPs 2016. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Feb 26;11:42. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00042. PMID: 32174887; PMCID: PMC7055062. 2021: Djalalinia S, Yoosefi M, Shahin S, Ghasemi E, Rezaei N, Ahmadi N, Rezaei N, Azmin M, Rezaei S, Nasserinejad M, Mohammadi E, Haghshenas R, Shabestari AN, Jamshidi H, Dastjerdi MV, Larijani B, Farzadfar F. The levels of BMI and patterns of obesity and overweight during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experience from the Iran STEPs 2021 survey. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Dec 1;13:1043894. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1043894. PMID: 36589796; PMCID: PMC9798439.v |
Different methodologies may have been used to collect this data and so data from different surveys may not be strictly comparable. Please check with original data sources for methodologies used. |
Men and women
Survey type: | Measured |
References: | 2001: Ebrahimi, S., Leech, R.M., McNaughton, S.A., Abdollahi, M., Houshiarrad, A. and Livingstone, K.M. (2021), Associations between diet quality and obesity in a nationally representative sample of Iranian households:a cross-sectional study. Obes Sci Pract. Accepted Author Manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.536 2011: Iran 2011 STEPS National Report https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/ncds/ncd-surveillance/data-reporting/iran/steps/iran-2011-steps-report.pdf?sfvrsn=77f321fd_2&download=true (Accessed 14.09.23) 2016: Djalalinia S, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Sheidaei A, Rezaei N, Naghibi Iravani SS, Modirian M, Zokaei H, Yoosefi M, Gohari K, Kousha A, Abdi Z, Naderimagham S, Soroush AR, Larijani B, Farzadfar F. Patterns of Obesity and Overweight in the Iranian Population: Findings of STEPs 2016. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Feb 26;11:42. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00042. PMID: 32174887; PMCID: PMC7055062. 2021: Djalalinia S, Yoosefi M, Shahin S, Ghasemi E, Rezaei N, Ahmadi N, Rezaei N, Azmin M, Rezaei S, Nasserinejad M, Mohammadi E, Haghshenas R, Shabestari AN, Jamshidi H, Dastjerdi MV, Larijani B, Farzadfar F. The levels of BMI and patterns of obesity and overweight during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experience from the Iran STEPs 2021 survey. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Dec 1;13:1043894. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1043894. PMID: 36589796; PMCID: PMC9798439.v |
Different methodologies may have been used to collect this data and so data from different surveys may not be strictly comparable. Please check with original data sources for methodologies used. |
Women
Survey type: | Measured |
References: | 2001: Ebrahimi, S., Leech, R.M., McNaughton, S.A., Abdollahi, M., Houshiarrad, A. and Livingstone, K.M. (2021), Associations between diet quality and obesity in a nationally representative sample of Iranian households:a cross-sectional study. Obes Sci Pract. Accepted Author Manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.536 2011: Iran 2011 STEPS National Report https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/ncds/ncd-surveillance/data-reporting/iran/steps/iran-2011-steps-report.pdf?sfvrsn=77f321fd_2&download=true (Accessed 14.09.23) 2016: Djalalinia S, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Sheidaei A, Rezaei N, Naghibi Iravani SS, Modirian M, Zokaei H, Yoosefi M, Gohari K, Kousha A, Abdi Z, Naderimagham S, Soroush AR, Larijani B, Farzadfar F. Patterns of Obesity and Overweight in the Iranian Population: Findings of STEPs 2016. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Feb 26;11:42. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00042. PMID: 32174887; PMCID: PMC7055062. 2021: Djalalinia S, Yoosefi M, Shahin S, Ghasemi E, Rezaei N, Ahmadi N, Rezaei N, Azmin M, Rezaei S, Nasserinejad M, Mohammadi E, Haghshenas R, Shabestari AN, Jamshidi H, Dastjerdi MV, Larijani B, Farzadfar F. The levels of BMI and patterns of obesity and overweight during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experience from the Iran STEPs 2021 survey. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Dec 1;13:1043894. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1043894. PMID: 36589796; PMCID: PMC9798439.v |
Different methodologies may have been used to collect this data and so data from different surveys may not be strictly comparable. Please check with original data sources for methodologies used. |