MenkesOKian Masih Banyak Orang Indonesia Kekurangan Vitamin D

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin (center) at a joint gymnastics event in the context of National Osteoporosis Day in Jakarta, Sunday (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin highlighted that there are still many people in Indonesia who experience a lack of vitamin D, and reminded the public to be diligent in exercising and being exposed to the sun to avoid this condition.

Met after a joint gymnastics event in the context of National Osteoporosis Day in Jakarta, Sunday, Minister of Health Budi said that many elderly people in the country experienced vitamin D deficiency conditions. In fact, vitamin D is needed so that the bones do not become porous when they begin to age.

"Many Indonesians, supplyingly, although there are a lot of sun (sinar), are subject to vitamin D deficiency, so they can be exposed to osteoporosis," Budi said, quoted by Antara, Sunday.

Osteoporosis is a condition where the body has a low bone mass, accompanied by a decrease in the quality of bone tissue which can result in bone fragility.

This condition can be experienced by all individuals, both children and adults. However, osteoporosis is more common for women who enter the menopaus period.

Vitamin D plays a role in maintaining calcium and phosphorus that plays a role in maintaining bone density. Thus, if there is a deficiency of vitamin D, it can cause a decrease in the two minerals, which makes the bones more fragile and at risk of developing osteoporosis.

"Therefore, we must be more diligent in exercising, outdoor activities, especially under 9 am," said Minister of Health Budi.

Basic Health Research Data (Riskesdas) in 2018 showed that about 36.4 percent of men and 30.7 percent of women aged more than 10 years lacked physical activity.