THE PREVENTION OF DIABETES, HYPERTENSION
AND OBESITY IN INDONESIA: THE SENTUL HEALTHY HAPPY LIVING
Indonesia shares two major characteristics
with its neighbours in South East Asia. One is the Economic Prosperity and
Democracy since the fall of the Dictators and secondly, is the galloping rate
of Diabetes and Hypertension in the country.
This multicultural archipelago, united
politically with Bahasa Indonesia as its national Language, has a population of
238 million souls, half of whom are under the age of 20 years.
Conservative estimates put the prevalence
of Diabetes at 7 million of the 119 million adults over the age of 20 (i.e.,
one in sixteen adults) and Prevalence of Pre Diabetes at 17 million (i.e., one
in 7 adults). If nothing is done, you can expect most of the 17 million to
progress towards Diabetes.
In the densely populated island of Jawa
where the capital of Jakarta is located, studies previously had shown a low
prevalence of Diabetes
1982
1.6%
1992
5.7%
In a study published in 2006, the prevalence
of Diabetes in Jakarta was 12.4% (double the rate ten years previously) and the
rate of Pre Diabetes was 30 % (a staggering one in three resident of Jakarta!).
If you think the high prevalence in Jakarta
may be due to its industrialization and rapid westernization, I was surprised
to read a study from Ternate (another one of those magical names from
Indonesia, like Bogor, Bandung.), a historically important but currently a far
away island where the prevalence was found to be 19.6%.
I will not speculate the aetiology for such
high and rising prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes in Indonesia. I have noticed that
foreign experts are almost always wrong since they bring their own ideas of
aetiology of a disease, such as I noticed in Cambodia, where one foreigner
suggested it is because of the Hindu Admixture of the Khmer and another
Australian expert had no doubt it was due to eating rice, which the Khmer have
been doing for about 2000 years?
As someone who has worked with Indigenous
populations, it is not enough, like many Diabetes epidemiologists from
Australia and UK have gone around the world, collecting stamps of the islands
and proclaiming high prevalence of diabetes. As Native people would ask: we are
sick and tired of you foreigners telling us we have high prevalence of
diabetes, but can you tell us how to combat it. Then the foreign ambassadors of
stealth capitalism would declare the useless mantra: exercise more, and eat
healthy, change your lifestyle.
What can we do about the rising prevalence
of Type 2 DM in Indonesia?
First of all,
Find a group of people who are also
interested in this health project.
I am lucky to have become friends with PJ
in Bogor and his Sentul Healthy Happy Living Group.
Then ask them, how I can help them, not
dictating what is to be done, but how can I assist in what they want to do.
What is their philosophy?
PJ Philosophy:
A healthy body exists in a Happy Body
Mind has to change before Body will follow
with good health.
What is the ultimate aim?
The good sensation of Well-being.
Who is the target group?
Friends and Staff and their families.
Economically less fortunate members of the
society, who are interested in:
Prevention of Diabetes, Hypertension and
Obesity
Treatment of Diabetes, Hypertension and
Obesity buy using a Peer-to-Peer Education Network model, highly successful in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
This is the idea for 2013, my contribution
to Indonesia. It would be nice to be successful in this programme.
(Pizza Hut and KFC are owned by the same corporation, and you can see them all at any mall or a stop in the highway)
What was heartening was a study published by Prof. Soewondo from University of Indonesia.
Controlling Blood Pressure has a protective effect on Diabetes, if the Indonesians decreased their waistline a little bit, their chance of getting Diabetes is lower and Of course, whether you want to get Diabetes or not, stoping to smoke or not smoking at all is a very healthy idea.
Prevention of Diabetes fits in well with the Philosophy of Sentul Healthy Happy Living. The following could be done to prevent
Diabetes and High Blood Pressure:
Become Physically Active. We invite you to join us in the morning at Sentul Lake and You would see how quickly you become healthy: activity as well as socializing and stress reduction.
Do not eat Greasy Foods, and control your sweet food consumption
If your blood pressure is higher than 120/70, then try to bring it down by regular exercise.
You must do exercise to get your body in shape rather than thinking of loosing weight. Once you incorporate exercise (walking, stretching, jogging and breathing exercises) into your routine, you will begin to notice a soft addiction wanting to exercise. Slowly you would notice that your energy level increases, your breathing capacity changes and after three months you are able to jog and then at the end of another three months you will begin to notice a change in your body, with the central part of your body becoming firmer.
Mind Body Time Management
if you say to yourself: I dont have time, then ask yourself, what do you have time for?
Good Luck and Welcome to Sentul Healthy Happy Living..
