Many Indonesians overweight: Experts
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A significant increase of overweight Indonesians in the last 10 years has concerned physicians because more people will be exposed to numerous chronic diseases and premature deaths.
A study conducted by endocrinologists or hormone experts in Abadijaya village, Depok, southern Jakarta, in 2001 reveals that more than 33 percent of men and 28 percent of women in the area are obese.
The number is defined by experts through a measure known as body mass index calculated by a formula using height and weight. An index of 25 is considered overweight, and 30 or greater is considered obese.
A 1992 study conducted in Kayuputih, an East Jakarta district whose population's lifestyle, social, economic and education background are similar to the Depok residents, resulted in an index of 16 percent.
Chairman of Indonesian Society of Endocrinology (Perkeni), Sidartawan Soegondo said that the stunning increase had compelled physicians to concentrate on the issue.
"Obesity is caused by malfunctioning endocrine glands which produce or secrete certain hormones," he said.
Health experts are yet to decide if a change in people's life style or diet or higher living standard and lack of physical activities played a role on the issue, Sidartawan told a press briefing here Saturday.
The ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies (AFES) is holding a congress from Nov. 7 to 11 on Bali island to highlight new inventions and studies on endocrinology.
The congress will be attended by experts from eight ASEAN countries (Brunei and Laos excepted) and from developed nations such as the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Japan, and Australia.
The congress' organizing committee is presided by Sidartawan.
Perkeni's secretary-general, also secretary to the congress' committee, Imam Subekti, explained that obese people and those with high cholesterol had a higher chance of contracting chronic diabetes mellitus, where the pancreas cannot produce adequate amount or quality of insulin to control the glucose level in the blood.
Diabetes mellitus prevalence had increased from 1.7 percent in 1982 to 5.7 percent in 1992, Imam said quoting a study. In 2001, the prevalence was around 6.2 percent, he said.
The Depok study reveals that residents have their big lunch meal in Jakarta where most of the residents work.
Sidartawan said that urbanization had increased the prevalence of diabetes mellitus.
One study predicts that in 2010 urban dwellers will increase from the current 40 percent to 52 percent.
World Health Organization (WHO) data shows that there were five million Indonesians with diabetes mellitus in 1995.
WHO predicts that the number will increase to 12 million in 2025.