JAKARTA: A recent medical report by the Jakarta administration revealed a worrying trend among its civil servants where more than half live with obesity, prompting Governor Pramono Anung to call for an urgent shift in lifestyle habits, including regular exercise, to reduce the risk of chronic illness and improve public service performance.
The data was drawn from last year’s medical checkups involving 9,936 civil servants to measure body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood sugar levels and mental health.
Obesity emerged as the most prevalent health issue, affecting 62 per cent of those assessed. Of that number, about two-thirds fell into the category of first-degree obesity, with a BMI ranging from 25 to 29.9, while the rest were classified as second-degree or higher, with a BMI of 30 or above.
“I will enforce mandatory exercise [from now on],” Pramono told reporters on Wednesday (July 23), adding that regular physical activity not only helps maintain physical health but also enhances productivity and the overall quality of public services.
The administration has previously promoted healthier lifestyles through the 2024 Regional Secretary Instruction supporting the Jakarta Berjaga campaign, which is short for Jakarta bergerak, bekerja, berolahraga dan berbahagia (Jakarta move, work, exercise and be happy), as well as a 2017 directive mandating weekly physical fitness exercises every Friday.
As part of the Jakarta Berjaga campaign, civil servants and the general public are encouraged to walk at least 7,500 steps per day, an effort aimed not only at improving personal health but also at reducing private vehicle use and enhancing the city's air quality.
In June last year, Jakarta broke an Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) record for “Most Civil Servants Walking 7,500 Steps per Day.”
However, the initiative appears to have lacked consistent follow-through. Following the recent health report, the administration plans to ramp up morning exercise sessions for civil servants, in line with existing instructions.
“For now, we will intensify the exercise for civil servants every Friday morning,” said Chico Hakim, a special staffer to the governor, on Thursday. Yogi Ikhwan, a civil servant at the Jakarta Environmental Agency, expressed support for the walking initiative.
“It’s environmentally friendly too, aside from benefiting our health,” he said.
Jakarta Health Agency head Ani Ruspitawati said last week that the 7,500 daily-step campaign is aimed at reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are often overlooked.
Jakarta-based nutritionist and physician Tan Shot Yen emphasized that obesity significantly increases the risk of various NCDs, including hypertension, stroke, heart attacks, diabetes and cancer.
“It is clear that civil servants' eating habits and lifestyle are unhealthy,” Tan said on Tuesday, adding that walking 7,500 steps a day would be ineffective without a balanced diet to accompany it.
Toto Sudargo, nutrition expert from Yogyakarta’s Gadjah Mada University (UGM), attributed the high obesity rate in Jakarta to both limited opportunities for physical activity and widespread access to fast food.
A 2023 Health Ministry report revealed that 32 per cent of Jakarta residents aged over 18 were overweight or obese, the highest percentage of any province in the country.
While walking 7,500 steps daily could be a good starting point for a healthier lifestyle, Toto stressed that it must become a sustainable habit.
“If the unhealthy lifestyle continues, fat and carbohydrate accumulation will persist, potentially leading to chronic diseases,” he warned.
In addition to obesity, the health screenings of Jakarta civil servants uncovered other major concerns, including hypertension, poor physical fitness, mental health issues, being overweight and diabetes.
The health agency also noted that around 15 percent of civil servants showed signs of mental health problems, underscoring the growing need for psychological support in the workplace. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
