HISOBI: Obesity Therapy Must Be Tailored to Individual Patient Conditions

Chairman of the Indonesian Obesity Study Association (HISOBI), Prof. Dr. Dante Saksono Harbuwono, Sp.PD-KEMD, Ph.D., is encouraging the public to consult healthcare professionals before deciding on a therapy to treat obesity, as its management needs to be tailored to each individual’s condition.

“The choice of medication will be determined later. Some people need their meals reduced, some need their snacks reduced, some may need their overall food intake adjusted. It is the experts who understand and know this,” Dante said at the launch of the obesity education campaign “Berani Bicara Berat” in Jakarta on Friday.

Based on the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey, obesity affects 23.4 percent of adults in Indonesia, or nearly one in four adults. The prevalence of obesity among women reaches 31.2 percent, higher than among men at 15.7 percent.

Dante said the high number of people experiencing obesity must be accompanied by an understanding that the condition is a complex chronic disease and cannot be addressed with the same approach for everyone.

The public can consult endocrinologists, clinical nutrition specialists, internal medicine specialists, or other trained healthcare professionals according to their treatment needs.

“That is why consultation with medical personnel is necessary,” he said.

Dante also reminded the public not to readily follow information about obesity management from untrustworthy sources, including information circulating on social media.

According to him, obesity treatment options continue to evolve, so the public needs to obtain information and therapy suited to their health condition through consultation with healthcare professionals.

“Do not be taken in by hoaxes on social media,” he said.

He said obesity management should not begin only after a person experiences complications or comorbidities. The public needs to shift their mindset from merely visiting health facilities when ill to making efforts to maintain health from an early stage.

“We are moving from sick care to health care. In the past, people came for treatment only when they were sick; now they come for treatment to stay healthy,” Dante said.