Must Know: This is the Daily Sugar Consumption Limit to Avoid Diabetes
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - As an effort to curb the incidence of non-communicable diseases, the Indonesian Ministry of Health has officially launched the Nutri-Level system. This policy is a nutritional labelling system on packaged foods and ready-to-drink beverages that uses grades A, B, C, and D.
This step is not without reason. Currently, diabetes is no longer a disease associated only with the elderly. Health trends show a worrying fact: type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting the productive age group, including Gen Z and millennials.
Excessive eating patterns, habits of snacking on sweets, and minimal physical activity are causing a rapid increase in diabetes risk among young people. Trends in contemporary drinks such as matcha latte, boba, and milk coffee pose a serious threat due to their very high sugar and fat content.
An internal medicine specialist, dr Erpryta Nurdia Tetrasiwi SpPD, revealed that diabetes patients in Indonesia are now increasingly found in the under-35 age group.
“In the past, it was said that young people were safe from diabetes and hypertension. But now, those under 35 are quite numerous,” said dr Pryta in an interview with detikcom.
Recognising the safe limit for sugar consumption is crucial to prevent long-term metabolic disorders. She provides guidance for the public to remain disciplined in maintaining daily intake, even if possible, below the maximum limit set by the Ministry of Health.
“Please do not exceed 50 grams per day. If possible, less than 25 grams is much better,” she advised.
She also reminded the importance of the culture of reading nutrition labels on every packaged product before buying. For example, one sachet of instant coffee usually contains about 12 grams of sugar. If someone consumes it four times a day, their sugar intake reaches nearly 50 grams, meaning they have already hit the daily maximum limit from just one type of drink.
Indonesian Citizens’ Daily Sugar Consumption Exceeds Normal Limits
Director of Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) at the Ministry of Health, dr Siti Nadia Tarmizi MEpid, highlighted the high sugar consumption figures among Indonesians that exceed normal limits.
“We can see from our health surveys that 50 percent of our population consumes more than the normal limit that should be,” said dr Nadia in a conversation with detikcom some time ago.
The Indonesian Ministry of Health has set daily consumption limits to maintain body health from the risk of metabolic diseases. This guidance is known as G4-G1-L5, which is the maximum daily consumption limit per person covering:
Sugar: Maximum 4 tablespoons (50 grams)
Salt: Maximum 1 teaspoon (2,000 milligrams sodium).
Fat: Maximum 5 tablespoons (67 grams oil).