Obesity Rates Continue to Rise, Public Urged to Exercise Caution in Choosing Processed Foods

National obesity prevalence among people aged around 18 in Indonesia rose, increasing from 21.8% in 2018 to 23.4% in 2023. Obesity results from excessive caloric intake over the long term, drawn from both processed foods and ready-to-eat items, including ultra-processed foods (UPF). Therefore the public is urged to be cautious when choosing processed foods to prevent obesity. In addition, the public is also urged to limit salt, sugar and fat (GGL) intake as part of non-communicable disease prevention.

Director of Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (P2PTM) at the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, explained that obesity prevalence data in Indonesia has continued to rise year by year. The statement emphasised that obesity is a chronic disease with serious health impacts and is not merely a matter of appearance or lifestyle. “A large portion of daily caloric intake actually still comes from processed and ready-to-eat foods. Therefore what matters most is to implement a balanced diet, pay attention to portions, and avoid excessive consumption to keep obesity risk down,” Nadia said in Jakarta, on Tuesday (3/3).

With modern lifestyles, consumption of processed foods cannot be avoided. However, the public needs to be able to recognise nutritional information and ingredient details on packaging, so that the processed foods consumed can help reduce obesity risk. “Use this Ramadan fasting month to cut back on sugar, salt and fat,” Nadia said.

Director of the IPB SEAFAST Center, Puspo Edi Giriwono, explained that modern food technology is designed to guarantee the safety and quality of products, shelf life, and to reduce environmental impact. Yet the challenge is how the public understands processing, ingredients used, and the information on packaging.

Processed foods are part of the modern food system produced through science- and technology-based processes to improve safety, quality, shelf life, and convenience, thereby meeting daily community needs. “Food additives listed on the packaging are used to produce good products and have undergone safety assessments and safe consumption limits, so they are safe under the terms,” Puspo said.

Adapun proses pengolahan pangan yang direkomendasikan adalah proses yang mengutamakan keamanan, menjaga kualitas gizi, serta mengikuti standar dan regulasi yang berlaku, sehingga produk tetap aman dan bernilai gizi.

“Public education is a crucial key to reducing obesity risk without restricting access to food. With good understanding, the public can choose foods more wisely and responsibly, and play an active role in obesity prevention,” Puspo said.

Head of Strategic Marketing Nutrifood, Susana, said that processed and ready-to-eat foods on the market today are very diverse. Consumers should therefore continue to pay attention to packaging labels, such as serving size, total energy, percentage of AKG, and ingredient lists. “By understanding this information, the public can control sugar, salt, and fat intake according to their daily needs,” she concluded. (H-3)