A new study highlights the scale of unhealthy food exposure in Indonesia. Most packaged food and beverage products exceed recommended nutritional thresholds. The findings raise concerns about diet-related health risks at the population level. Researchers emphasize the role of policy in shaping consumption patterns. The evidence points to a gap between current regulations and international standards.
Key Facts & Background
- A study by the Centre for Indonesia’s Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI) analyzed more than 8,000 packaged food and beverage products across four major cities: Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, and Makassar.
- The results show that around 90% of products contain excessive levels of sugar, salt, or fat, or include non-sugar sweeteners.
- The research applies a Nutrient Profile Model (NPM), which integrates World Health Organization standards and international best practices, particularly from Latin America.
- The NPM is assessed as stricter and more consistent than Indonesia’s current Nutri-Level labeling thresholds, identifying a larger share of unhealthy products.
- The study suggests that widespread exposure to unhealthy products is “far more extensive than previously understood,” indicating systemic dietary risks.
- The findings support policy tools such as front-of-pack labeling, marketing restrictions, and fiscal measures (e.g., taxes on sugary drinks) to reduce consumption.
- Complementary modeling indicates that a 20% price increase on sugary beverages could reduce consumption by 17.5%, preventing 3.1 million diabetes cases and 455,000 premature deaths over a decade.
- Indonesia has experienced a 15-fold increase in sugary drink consumption over two decades, with 61% of the population consuming such drinks daily, contributing to rising non-communicable diseases.
Source: CISDI
Insights
The study underscores a structural challenge in Indonesia’s food environment, where the majority of available packaged products fall outside recommended health standards. The scale—nine out of ten products—suggests that unhealthy consumption is not driven solely by individual choices but is embedded in the supply landscape. By applying a stricter nutrient profiling model, the research reveals that current labeling frameworks may underestimate the extent of dietary risk. This has implications for public health policy, as more accurate classification systems can influence both consumer behavior and industry reformulation strategies.
However, translating these findings into effective policy involves trade-offs. Stricter labeling and fiscal measures, such as taxes on sugary drinks, may face resistance from industry stakeholders concerned about costs, employment, and competitiveness. Additionally, while nutrient profiling can improve transparency, its impact depends on consumer understanding and behavioral response, which can vary across income and education levels. The broader implication is that improving dietary outcomes will require a combination of regulatory enforcement, public awareness, and market incentives, rather than reliance on a single policy instrument.