“My new year resolution this year is to lose weight.”
If you have heard this statement or even proclaimed it yourself, you are not alone. “Cara Menurunkan Berat Badan” seems to be on everyone’s mind in 2021, with this question ranking 5th in Indonesia’s “Bagaimana cara” Google Trends section. Let’s take a closer look at how Indonesians are struggling with weight loss and their methods of losing weight.
Based on our survey research, weight gain does indeed seem like a problem for many of our respondents. Specifically, 75% of respondents agree that they face weight problems, with looks and aesthetics being main concerns for 61% of them. This data is unsurprising, as research from WHO[1] and UNICEF highlights that the number of overweight adults in Indonesia has doubled over the past two decades. This is further supported by data from the Indonesian Ministry of Health[2], which shows that current prevalence of overweight and obesity in Indonesia is at an all-time high of 35%.
Interestingly, despite the high number of Indonesians going through weight problems, majority of respondents (52%) have never considered or participated in a weight loss program. Out of the 52%, the top reason was due to people being comfortable with their current weight (43%), followed by high cost, lack of time and lack of knowledge regarding weight loss programs.
From the 48% who have considered or participated in a weight loss program, the most popular type of program selected by 80% of respondents was managed diets. Yet, looking at the high frequency of snack buying in Indonesia, particularly during pandemic, frequent snacking habits create a shred of doubt towards the sustainability of managed diets across long periods of time.
But perhaps, the above example only provides a one-dimensional perspective towards weight loss. Exercise and sports were a close second type of weight loss program picked by 72% of respondents. Seeing as majority of respondents have selected both choices, it can be safely inferred that exercise and managed diets often go hand-in-hand. In fact, Snapcart’s research has shown that 63% of Indonesians exercise more than twice weekly, with 23% working out almost every day. This upward trend in exercise hints at potentially good weight loss results for hard-workers.
It appears that there are both positive and negative trends affecting the impact of weight loss for Indonesians across the past year. in 2022, how successful do you think this popular new year resolution will be?
Sources:
[1] Indonesia: Obesity rates among adults double over past two decades
