Ministry of Health Emphasises Balanced Diet Amidst the Rise of Ready-to-Eat Foods

The habit has the potential to increase the risk of overweight if not balanced with sufficient consumption of vegetables, fruits, and physical activity.

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health emphasises the importance of balanced nutrition amidst the increasing consumption of ready-to-eat and high-fat processed foods, which can potentially trigger health problems.

Head of the Nutrition Working Group of the Directorate of Family Health Services at the Ministry of Health, Yuni Zahraini, at a panel discussion entitled “Powering Healthy and Sustainable Diets through Inclusive Digital Transformation” in Jakarta on Wednesday, said that current Indonesian consumption patterns tend to be dominated by high-carbohydrate and high-fat foods, especially those processed by frying, particularly in urban areas such as Jakarta and its surroundings.

“This habit has the potential to increase the risk of overweight if not balanced with sufficient consumption of vegetables, fruits, and physical activity,” she said.

She explained that many fast foods and snacks are fried using the deep-fry technique at high temperatures, which can increase fat content, including trans fats, if consumed in excess.

In fact, as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and also used by the Ministry of Health in national balanced nutrition guidelines, the minimum recommended daily consumption of fruits and vegetables is at least 400 grams per person, equivalent to 250 grams of vegetables (about 2-3 servings) and 150 grams of fruit (about 2-3 servings).

According to Yuni, the principle of balanced nutrition requires that each meal contain sources of carbohydrates, protein, fat, as well as vitamins and minerals in proportion, not just to satisfy hunger.

“An imbalance in nutrient intake that lasts for a long period of time risks increasing the prevalence of obesity, especially in groups with low physical activity, such as office workers,” she said.

The Ministry of Health is committed to continuing to promote the importance of diverse and balanced diets through various educational platforms so that the public can make wiser choices in selecting food and build healthy habits from the family environment.