Study: 15 Indonesian Provinces Have High Prevalence of Obesity

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As many as 15 provinces in Indonesia is having the prevalence of obesity above the national rate. The provinces include Central Kalimantan, East Java, Banten, East Kalimantan, Bali, West Kalimantan, North Sumatra, Riau Islands, Jambi, Papua, Bengkulu, Bangka Belitung Islands, Lampung, and Jakarta.

According the Research on Basic Health by the Health Ministry in 2013, the national obesity and overweight prevalence among children aged 5 to 12 years old is 18.8 percent, which is considered high. The 18.8 percent include 10.8 percent of overweight children and 8.8 percent of obesity children. Meanwhile, the overweight and obesity prevalence among teenagers aged 13 to 15 years old is 10.8 percent (8.3 percent overweight and 2.5 obesity).

Based on data from the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1.4 billion adults are overweight and 2.8 million adults dies each year from chronic diseases that triggered by overweight and obesity conditions. The Euromonitor International revealed that in Asia-Pacific, obesity has been highly increasing and several countries are predicted to have the highest obesity rate from 2010 to 2020. The countries are Vietnam (225 percent obesity rate), Hong Kong (178 percent obesity rate), India (100 percent obesity rate), South Korea (80.7 percent obesity rate), New Zealand (52 percent obesity rate), and Indonesia (50 percent obesity rate).

EVIETA FADJAR