Prevalence of Weight Disorders in Iranian Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: Weight disorders in childhood are considered as a global health problem with several adverse health effects. The objective of this study is to review available studies on the prevalence of overweight, obesity and underweight in Iranian pediatric population. Methods: Articles published in the international and national journals were collected via the electronic research engines including MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, Scientific Information Database (SID), and Magiran about the prevalence of childhood overweight, obesity and underweight in all regions of Iran. Only population-based studies were included. Results: Large variations were documented in the prevalence of weight disorders in children of different age and sex groups living in various regions of Iran. Our findings revealed increasing trend of childhood obesity and overweight, but this change was not very sharp. In addition, underweight is still one of the main nutritional problems in children of some areas including Sistan-va-Baluchistan and Kerman provinces. Conclusion: Similar to many other developing countries, double burden of nutritional disorders exists in children living in some parts of Iran. While till now most health policies and educational programs related to children's nutrition in Iran had focused on underweight and malnutrition, more attention should be paid to the problem of excess weight.