I expect the business world to continue to support a healthy and productive lifestyle by presenting quality products and reducing the amount of excess sugar, salt, and fat in them.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government, through its Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, has encouraged the processed food and beverage industry to actively produce nutritionally balanced food products, the ministry's official, Agus Suprapto, stated.

"I expect the business world to continue to support a healthy and productive lifestyle by presenting quality products and reducing the amount of excess sugar, salt, and fat in them," he noted.

At a virtual event on Thursday, citing the latest data from the Basic Health Research 2018, Suprapto highlighted that 26 out of the 100 deaths due to non-communicable diseases (NCD) were caused by unhealthy eating patterns.

Diabetes, caused by factors, such as excess intake of sugar, ranked third for NCD deaths in Indonesia.


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Hypertension due to excess intake of salt was ranked fifth for NCD deaths in the country.

This indicates that Indonesians do not yet fully understand how to follow a healthy eating pattern.

To this end, Suprapto urged the processed food and beverage industry to help the government reduce the number of NCD cases, specifically by promoting healthy eating patterns and lifestyle.

He also lauded several industry players, who have produced healthy food products, by reducing the amount of salt, sugar, and oil as well as increasing the amount of vitamins or fibre in them.


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"We thank industry players that have given attention to the nutritional value of their products in accordance with the standard set by BPOM (National Agency of Drug and Food Control)," he stated.

"With this, the industry has helped the people to know about the products' nutritional value and make choices regarding appropriate products for them to consume," he remarked.

Suprapto also called on the people follow healthy eating patterns through the "Fill My Plate" scheme in order to reduce the number of NCD cases in Indonesia.


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Translator: Livia K, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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