Jakarta Has the Highest National Prevalence of Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels.

This is explained by the Ministry of Health's Data and Information Center (Kemenkes) in a report entitled *Staying Productive, Preventing, and Managing Diabetes Mellitus* (2020).

The report states that diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, heart disease, and kidney failure. Many cases of diabetes also result in death.

Lifestyle factors that increase the risk of diabetes include lack of physical activity, smoking, and an unbalanced diet such as consuming excessive sugar, salt, and low-fiber foods.

According to data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in 2019 there were approximately 19.47 million people with diabetes in Indonesia. This figure makes Indonesia the 5th highest country in the world with the number of diabetes sufferers.

Further detailed, based on data from the Ministry of Health's Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) in 2018, the province with the highest prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Indonesia is DKI Jakarta, at 3.4%.

The next highest prevalence of diabetes mellitus was found in East Kalimantan, Yogyakarta Special Region, North Sulawesi, East Java, Bangka Belitung Islands, Gorontalo, Aceh, Banten, and Central Sulawesi, as shown in the graph.

The Ministry of Health emphasizes that diabetes control is one of the responsibilities of local governments.

"Government Regulation Number 2 of 2018, the Minister of Home Affairs Regulation Number 100 of 2018, and the Minister of Health Regulation Number 4 of 2019 have stipulated that efforts to control diabetes mellitus are one of the minimum services that must be carried out by local governments," the Ministry of Health explained in its report.

"Furthermore, Presidential Instruction Number 1 of 2017 also helps to encourage the cultivation of healthy lifestyles for all people, including those with risk factors and those suffering from diabetes mellitus," it continued.