Iran is the “Second Saddest Country in the World” After Iraq

“90 percent” of Iranians do not engage in regular physical activity, “70 percent” of them are obese, and Iranians are among the “most inactive” people in the world and, after the people of Iraq, are the “saddest” people on earth.

These statistics were announced on Wednesday, November 3, by the Vice President of the Sports Medicine Federation, the Deputy Director of Research at the Ministry of Health, and the Head of Iran’s Social Work Association.

According to IRNA, Laleh Hakimi, Vice President of the Sports Medicine Federation, spoke about the low rates of physical activity among Iranians at a conference in Yazd.

Ms. Hakimi said that “to prevent diabetes and its complications, regular physical activity and sports exercise between 150 to 250 minutes should be part of citizens’ schedules.”

According to Mizan News Agency, Reza Malkezadeh, Deputy Director of Research at the Ministry of Health, also announced at a conference that “nearly 70 percent of Iranians are obese.”

Mr. Malkezadeh added: “10 percent of Iranians have diabetes and 25 percent of Iranians are in a condition that in the next 10 to 15 years they will develop diabetes.”

He also stated that 50 percent of the causes of deaths in Iran are “heart attacks and strokes” resulting from nutritional problems.

This health ministry official added that “50 percent of people who reach the age of 55 suffer from high blood pressure.”

According to him, “nearly 70 percent of Iranians’ calories come from sugary substances, which is itself a major factor in weight gain and obesity.”

The Deputy Director of Research at the Ministry of Health announced that “we need a national movement to improve nutrition conditions and increase physical activity.”

Hasan Mousavi Chelek, Head of Iran’s Social Work Association, also stated in his remarks that Iran is the second “saddest” country in the world.

Mr. Mousavi Chelek added: Based on the average statistics of social happiness presented by reputable international organizations, Iran is not among happy countries.

According to him, “Iran ranks 105th among 185 countries and in the happiness index, from the bottom of the table, it holds second place; after Iraq, we are considered the second saddest country in the world.”

He also considered the rate of mental disorders in the country high and said that in some areas of Tehran these disorders “reach up to 80, which is described as very critical.”

According to Mr. Mousavi, “people have become indifferent to fate and events that happen to others, and this is a sign of declining social cohesion.”

The Head of Iran’s Social Work Association considered “the increase of black co-habitation, the shift in the curve of AIDS infection with a tendency toward sexual relations, the feminization of addiction, and the infantilization of crime” as signs of a “social crisis” in Iran.

Mousavi Chelek also reported the existence of more than 200,000 alcohol addicts in Iran, which severe punishments have also been unable to prevent.

Iranian society has been grappling with numerous social harms in recent years, and the fourth session reviewing these harms was held on Monday in the presence of Ayatollah Khamenei.

No details from this meeting have been published so far, but Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday in the open parliament session that the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic said in this meeting that “to fight social harms, even those who do not believe in religion and Islam, if they accept Iran, they must enter the arena with all their strength.”

Source: Radio Farda