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Grassroots sports clubs emerge to push more Jakartans to exercise
After the COVID-19 pandemic, new grassroots sports clubs have been helping motivate Jakartans to engage in regular physical exercise in a bid to promote healthy lifestyles and foster a sense of community.
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People attend a free morning dance session on the street during a car-free day in Jakarta on May 5, 2024. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
W
hen the world stopped moving in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mika Afandi stayed home to avoid the virus, spending most of his time after work binge-watching Netflix and gaining 30 kilograms of body weight in a short time.
But after the outbreak receded, the Jakarta-based private employee decided to join an amateur running community called MetaRun to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
“Before joining MetaRun, I didn’t run at all,” Mika, now 36, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. “But now I have lost around 27 kg [...] and even have a target to do a marathon this year.”
Despite limited public sporting venues in Jakarta, new grassroots sports are emerging across the city in an attempt to reconnect people in communities after the pandemic and spread awareness about healthy lifestyles amid reports of most adults’ lack of sufficient physical activity.
A World Health Organization (WHO) report published last week found that nearly one third of adults worldwide were not doing enough physical activity in 2022, a 5 percent increase from 2010. Among the factors were people walking less, working more on computers and spending their free time on gadgets.
The United Nations health body called the situation a wake-up call for all countries to boost community sports, as a lack of physical activity could lead to chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and mental health problems.
Read also: Indonesian tennis scene surges in popularity amid pandemic
