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Indonesia Grapples With Obesity Issues

by Dave Grunebaum

   Depok, Indonesia --

   They dance side to side and spin in circles with hips swiveling to
   music from Cardi B and Guns N' Roses at Slim Fit Studio. The
   instructor, R Niken Ayu Larasati, shouts "1-2-3" as everyone's arms
   move up and down with feet shuffling forward. Exercising is part of a
   regular routine for these two dozen women, but this has not always been
   the case for many of them.

   Yuliana, 29, who like many Indonesians has a one-word name, is 150
   centimeters tall and weighs 110 kilos. "I didn't get enough exercise
   and I had an unhealthy diet," Yuliana said.

   Her story is all too common in this country. Almost half of Indonesia's
   women are overweight or obese -- almost double the rate of men,
   according to data from the country's Ministry of Health. March 4 is
   World Obesity Day, when many health advocacy groups try to raise
   awareness about this issue.

   "We are seeing increasing rates of obesity in all age categories for
   males and females in Indonesia, which is very concerning, but the trend
   for adult women is especially troubling," said Diah Saminarsih, chief
   executive officer of the Center for Indonesia's Strategic Development
   Initiatives, a nongovernment organization focusing on health issues.
   "Because of this we're seeing an increasing number of people with
   chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and also
   renal failure and diabetes," she noted.

   Saminarsih and other health advocates say it's not clear why Indonesian
   women have significantly higher rates compared to men, but one factor
   could be that in many Indonesian families, women still play a
   traditional role.
   "They cook, they feed the children, then they stay at home or pick up
   their kids from school and they work in between. So, they juggle
   multiple roles in society. Perhaps they socialize more than men, and
   when you socialize more, you consume more [food]," said Saminarsih,
   while adding that there needs to be more research to fully clarify the
   underlying reasons.

   Saminarsih said across the country, unhealthy foods have become easier
   for families to access in recent years, whether it's at fast food
   restaurants or sugary drinks on store shelves.

   "Unhealthy foods used to be unaffordable for many Indonesians because
   they were all imported," Saminarsih said. "But now so many of them are
   produced locally so prices have come down and now these fatty, sugary,
   high calorie foods are cheaper than healthy foods."

   David Colozza, a nutrition specialist at UNICEF Indonesia, also pointed
   out that as many families have moved from rural to urban areas, they
   often work jobs that require less physical activity.
   "More people are working office jobs or manufacturing jobs instead of
   in the farm fields," said Colozza, while adding that the easy
   availability of ultra processed foods full of sugar, fat and salt is a
   big factor as well.
   "In some communities, these ultra processed foods are the most
   available and easier to access than healthy foods, such as fruits and
   vegetables," Colozza said. "Additionally high air pollution levels in
   cities such as Jakarta [Indonesia's capital] can prevent people from
   going outside and exercising."

   But health advocates say there are encouraging signs as more fitness
   centers open and health education improves. "More people seem to
   understand the benefits of exercise, and we're seeing committed health
   advocates take their message to communities across Indonesia," said
   Saminarsih.

   Also, health advocates are pushing for further steps, including
   regulations requiring more prominent labeling on packaging that makes
   it clearer which foods are unhealthy, and a tax on sugary drinks.
   "This could reduce the incentive for consumers to buy these products
   and also encourage the food and beverage companies to reformulate these
   products to reduce the amount of sugar," said Colozza. "Plus, the money
   collected from the tax ideally would be used for health-related
   initiatives such as obesity prevention."

   At Slim Fit Studio, Yuliana dances across the floor with the rest of
   the group. She has lost seven kilograms since November. Yuliana says in
   addition to exercising four times a week, she's eating healthier food.
   It's the type of lifestyle change health advocates hope more overweight
   and obese Indonesians will take up.