Jakarta, IO – Obesity results from excess stockpiling of fat in the body, because of an imbalance between the energy intake and energy expenditure ratios. In other words, obesity is caused by excess food consumption, combined with an insufficient level of physical activity.
According to a 2016 WHO study, the worldwide obesity has tripled within the past four decades. More than 1.9 billion people aged 18 or older (39%) are overweight, while another 650 million people of the same age bracket are (13%) obese. In both cases, there are more female sufferers than male ones.
Obesity is a comorbid disease. It must be avoided, because it greatly raises the risk of incommunicable and degenerative diseases such as heart problems, cancer, osteoarthritis, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and even psycho-social problems.
According to the Ministry of Health, the national prevalence rate of obesity in Indonesia has steadily increased, up from 10.3% in 2007 to 21.8% in 2018. The top five provinces with obesity problems are North Sulawesi (30.2% of the population), Special Capital Region of Jakarta (29.8%), East Kalimantan (28.7%), West Papua (26.4%), and Riau Islands (26.2%).
“Whether you are obese or slim has to do more than just knowing the weight of your body. It represents your weight relative to your body height, or your Body Mass Index (BMI). It is calculated by dividing weight (in kg) by height (cm) squared, multiplying the result by 10,000, and rounding up the result to one decimal place.
For example, a person with a height of 161 cm and a weight of 62 kg will have a 23.9 BMI, or in a normal range. A BMI of lower than 18.5 means you are underweight; in the 18.5 to 24.9 range means that you have normal weight; in the 25 to 29.9 range means you’re overweight, and higher than 30.0 means you are obese. BMI has a positive correlation to the body’s total fat level, but is not the only indicator of obesity or slimness. Another method is by measuring the girth, or the circumference of your waist.
Men should have a girth of 90 cm or less, women 80 cm or less,” declared dr. Esti Widiastuti, MScPH, the Indonesian Ministry of Health’s Acting Director of the Directorate for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, in the “Latest Obesity Situation Indonesia” online media meet in Jakarta, Tuesday (11/7/2023).
