The state-run news website Rouydad24 reported that with the worsening economic crisis and a sharp decline in people’s purchasing power, an increasing number of Iranian citizens can no longer afford essential food items, and malnutrition has now become the cause of about 35% of deaths in the country.
In the report published on Monday, October 20, it stated: “From the reduction in the consumption of dairy and meat to shortages of fruits and vegetables, the nutrition crisis in the country has sounded the alarm for public health and household economies.”
Rouydad24, quoting Ahmad Esmailzadeh, head of the Community Nutrition Improvement Office at the Ministry of Health, wrote that every year between 400,000 to 420,000 people die in Iran, and according to estimates, about 35% of these deaths are related to “nutritional deficiencies and problems.”
Iran’s Regime Agriculture Minister Admits to ‘Toughest Conditions Of Food Security’
According to the report, the decline in consumption of dairy, meat, fruits, and vegetables, along with the increase in obesity among children and pregnant women, and widespread deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, has created a new public health crisis in the country that could pose a serious threat to future generations.
Earlier, on October 8, Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Iran’s regime agriculture minister, described the rising prices as “logical” and claimed that food prices in Iran “are still cheap compared to global prices.”
Based on the Ministry of Health’s estimates, at least 10,000 people in Iran die each year due to a lack of omega-3 fatty acids, about 10,000 from insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption, and roughly 25,000 more due to a deficiency of whole grains and bread in their diet.
Between 50% to 70% of Iran’s population also suffers from vitamin D deficiency—a crisis that directly leads to weakened immune systems and an increase in bone-related diseases.
Dairy and meat are consumed at less than half the recommended levels
Rouydad24 continued in its report: “Fluctuations in food prices and rising inflation have played a major role in reducing the consumption of essential items. Dairy and meat, which are among the most important protein sources, are consumed at less than half the recommended amount due to price increases. Even supplements and vitamins have become unaffordable for many.”
According to the report, the worsening economic conditions and declining purchasing power have placed a heavy burden on families, leading to a deeper crisis in food security and public health in deprived provinces such as Sistan and Baluchestan, Kerman, and Hormozgan.
Rouydad24 added: “The consequences of this crisis are not limited to mortality. Overweight and obesity among children, stunted growth in deprived provinces, and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes are all linked to dietary patterns.”
On October 16, Hassan Sadeghi, head of the Veterans’ Workers Union, warned that the poorest segment of society has risen from 30% to about 45%.
He continued: “If this trend continues, by the end of the current year, a larger portion of the middle class will fall below the poverty line.”
In recent weeks, rampant inflation and the rise of foreign exchange rates have deepened concerns about Iran’s deteriorating economic situation—a trend that has intensified following the activation of the UN sanctions “snapback mechanism.”
On September 27, Iran’s Statistical Center announced that the annual inflation rate for September was 37.5%, the year-on-year inflation rate was 45.3%, and the monthly inflation rate for September was 3.8%.
