Starting from Reading Labels and Routine Movement, Simple Ways to Prevent Obesity 

Illustration weighing body weight (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Efforts to prevent obesity can start with simple habits, such as reading nutrition labels on food packaging and regularly doing physical activity every day.

The Director of Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, M.Epid. said that as many as 28.7 percent of Indonesian people still consume sugar, salt, and fat exceeding the recommended limits.

According to him, the excess intake often occurs without being noticed because people do not count the total daily consumption, especially from packaged food and beverages.

"We need to get used to reading labels. There is information on the nutritional value per serving, including sugar, salt, and fat content," said Nadia as quoted by ANTARA.

He reminded the limit of sugar consumption is a maximum of 50 grams per day or the equivalent of four tablespoons, salt 5 grams per day, and fat 67 grams per day for adults.

In addition to seeing the numbers on the nutrition table, the public can also pay attention to the "Healthier Choice" logo on certain product packaging. The logo indicates that the product has met the criteria for sugar, salt, and fat content limits according to government regulations.

By reading labels and comparing several similar products, consumers can choose options with lower sugar or fat content as needed.

However, intake regulation alone is not enough. Nadia emphasized the importance of maintaining energy balance through regular physical activity.

In the event to commemorate World Obesity Day 2026, he advocated simple habits such as walking more often and using the stairs to increase daily activity.

"Obesity does not happen in a short time. This is the result of long-term eating patterns and lifestyles. Therefore, small changes that are consistent will be more effective," he said.

The momentum of Ramadan, according to him, can also be used as an opportunity to train sugar consumption control, especially during the fasting breaking which is often colored by sweet drinks.

By reducing sugar levels gradually and staying active, people can build sustainable healthy habits.

The effort is considered important to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease related to obesity.