The Health Ministry and the Tehran Beautification Organization affiliated to the Tehran Municipality have come together in an initiative called ‘Healthy Citizen’.
Educated, informed and healthy citizens are necessary for development, Health Minister Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi said.
“That is why we decided to start this campaign to spread information on the negative side effects of unhealthy lifestyles,” he said at the launching of the campaign, ISNA reported.
Eighty graphic designers were tasked to come up with ideas to adorn the city with messages in different forms on the harms of obesity, excessive sugar and salt intake, and sedentary lifestyles.
“Health slogans have been developed and will be publicized,” Hashemi noted.
The Health Ministry is committed to curb the use of harmful foods and promote healthy lifestyles. In October, the Food and Drug Administration banned imports of carbonated drinks, after it prohibited import of juices with high sugar content a month earlier as part of its drive to help ensure food safety.
It has also sent a proposal to the government to increase prices of sweet and greasy food products. Advertisement of unhealthy food products are currently banned in Iran.
The public health watchdog is also following up on the proposal made to the Parliament to raise taxes on tobacco to bring down consumption. So far, the special commission in this regard has not agreed to the proposal submitted by the ministry, according to Khosrow Sadeqniat, head of the secretariat of Iran’s Tobacco Control Headquarters.
