TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Health Ministry stated that the top three non-communicable diseases in the world are caused by the excessive consumption of sweetened foods and beverages.

The three diseases are hypertension, diabetes or high blood sugar rate, and obesity.

"High blood pressure, high blood sugar, and obesity are the top five diseases in the world," Health Ministry's Director of Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, Eva Susanti, stated on Monday.

Susanti made this statement at an educational event titled "The Urgency of Imposing Excise on Packaged Sweetened Beverages."

She pointed out that the three ailments also caused the biggest disease burden in Indonesia, wherein high blood pressure occupied the first position, with 12.2 million cases; diabetes coming second, with 7.5 million cases; and obesity ranked fourth, with seven million cases.

In addition, Susanti explained that the lifedata-styles of most Indonesian people, such as smoking, lack of physical activity, inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables, and excessive consumption of sugar, salt, and fats, were the main triggering factors for these diseases.

"About 28.7 percent of Indonesians exceeded the recommended limit of the consumption of sugar, salt, and fat," she remarked.

Furthermore, Susanti said Indonesia's level of consumption of sweetened foods or drinks increased by up to 15 times in the last two decades, from 51 million liters in 1996 to 780 million liters in 2014.

Indonesia is also the third-highest consumer of sweetened beverages and foods in Southeast Asia, with 20.23 liters per person recorded in 2019.

Hence, to this end, Susanti affirmed that the ministry encourages the policy of imposing excise on packaged sweetened beverages in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono remarked that the excise on packaged sweetened beverages will be signed and enacted this year, as the academic study for the policy has been prepared.

ANTARA

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