Expert warns of fat reduction products

JAKARTA (JP): Many products promising to reduce people's weight that are currently available on the market have not been tested properly to know whether they are effective or whether they have negative side effects, an expert warned on Monday.

Widjaja Lukito of the Regional Center for Community Nutrition of the University of Indonesia told a symposium on obesity that many products such as fat burners, creams or even traditional tea claim that they can reduce fat progressively.

"To tell you the truth, we don't know about the quality of these products because most haven't been scientifically tested or endorsed by the health authorities," Widjaja said.

He also said that the use of drugs and medication to cure obesity would not likely work if the person failed to lead a healthy life, including following a proper diet.

The most important thing for people with weight problems was to have the self-motivation to strike a healthy balance between food intake and exercise, he said.

"Overweight people do not have to abruptly stop eating or change their eating habits, but they must reduce half of their regular food intake," Widjaja said.

Regular daily exercise, such as walking and stretching, are also important, he added.

"The worst thing any person can do is to eat junk food late at night in front of television. This habit has unintended consequences: the person will get chubbier because after he or she will usually go straight to bed afterwards," he added.

Doctors at the symposium noted that in spite of the economic crisis, many people in Indonesia, particularly those in the middle to upper classes, remained vulnerable to obesity.

"Some obesity is caused by genes (hereditary), but some are caused by poor eating habits," said Prof. Askandar Tjokroprawiro of Surabaya-based Airlangga University.

"Overweight people must avoid eating too much fat such as that found in eggs, cheese, crabs, oysters as well as coconut, and also avoid food with too much sugar or salt," Askandar said.

He noted that many of his patients with weight problems suffered from diabetes.

"From around four million diabetes patients across the country, around 23 percent suffer from obesity" he said.

Obesity can lead to other illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease, sleep apnea (breathing difficulties during sleep), fertility problems and breathing problems, he said.

"People have to watch out if they have trouble breathing or if they feel tired after doing light activities," Askandar said. (edt)