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Childhood obesity rate skyrockets
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Unhealthy lifestyle: Studies show the prevalence of child obesity in Indonesia has increased significantly partly due to unhealthy lifestyle. (Shutterstock/File)
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rsyad Hermalka, 4, a student of early childhood education (PAUD) center in Kediri, East Java, has just started a healthy diet. He must eat plenty of healthy, not-too-processed foods. He now receives a carbohydrate controlled diet as well.
So far, he has not complained about the changes to his diet, so long as fried chicken, his favorite food, is still served on his plate.
Arsyad’s mother, Heci Heriani, 28, has also scheduled new afternoon activities for him, from cycling to football, to ensure he stays physically active every day.
“He weighs 32 kilograms and is 115 centimeters tall now. He is heavier than most children his age,” Heci told The Jakarta Post as she showed a picture of her son.
The normal weight of a four year old like Arsyad is around 16 kg. In 2015, Arsyad’s grandfather died because of diabetes. Just a couple of years later, one of his uncles died because of the same illness.
Heci is clearly conscious that her overweight son is prone to diabetes. “I don’t intend to make him slim or thin or anything. I just want him to lose some weight so he can be healthier,” Heci said.
Heci is fully aware that an early occurrence of obesity may lead to non-communicable diseases, including diabetes.
