Jakarta – For the third time this year, the Health Development Policy Agency (BKPK) held the National Forum (Fornas), a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences, including discussions and the expression of aspirations from various segments of society. Held at the Leimena Auditorium of the Ministry of Health on Tuesday (November 25th), this year’s Fornas carried the theme “Transformation of Healthy Living.”
The Head of the BKPK, Prof. Asnawi Abdullah, in his report stated that this forum is a strategic step in supporting the Ministry of Health’s vision to create a healthy and productive society in order to realize Golden Indonesia 2045. The call delivered at this moment is expected to increase public awareness and encourage behavioral changes towards a healthy lifestyle.
He added that the goal of this process is to produce effective strategies and policies as an integral part of a healthy living transformation. Previously, the BKPK had conducted a comprehensive survey. online In the preparation stage, we surveyed public opinion on healthy living. Survey results show that people associate healthy living with exercise, diet, and mental health.
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin who had the opportunity to attend and provide Keynote Speech At this event, he stated that policy strategies are needed to change public behavior to create a healthy society throughout the life cycle. Given the shift in mortality trends in Indonesia, which are dominated by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), he believes that disease prevention is more appropriate than treating the sick. This is because NCDs can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Health Minister Budi explained that there are two ways to ensure Indonesians live long and healthy lives free from disease: lifestyle changes and health check-ups. These changes can be achieved by consuming healthy foods, exercising, and minimizing stress. Meanwhile, health check-ups can be done by participating in the Free Health Check (CKG) program launched by the Ministry of Health this year.
“We must be able to encourage people to exercise regularly. Create a mindset that exercise is cool and that not exercising is bad.” FOMO or miss the trend,” said Minister of Health Budi.
He explained that a healthy lifestyle should start within oneself. Everyone should cultivate the goal of living a long life by staying fit and avoiding disease. He cited the example of himself, who, at 61 years old, still exercises regularly, maintains a healthy diet, and even participates in running competitions on several occasions.
“We are free to choose any sport, whether it’s running, cycling, or swimming, as long as we do it for at least 30 minutes, five times a week,” he explained.
Meanwhile Fitness Influencer Sally Tanudjaja defines health as not simply the absence of illness, but also fitness, meaning being fit and productive. She believes many people feel healthy but tire easily, lack energy, and have difficulty focusing.
“Many people don’t care about their health because they still feel healthy. However, health isn’t just about not being sick, it’s about being fit. Being fit means being able to carry out activities with full energy without tiring quickly,” explained Sally.
Sally further explained that the number one requirement for achieving fitness is regular exercise. By exercising regularly, avoiding indiscriminate eating, staying up late, and managing stress effectively, we will achieve a better quality of life.
“I hope you won’t delay starting a healthy lifestyle any longer. It’s never too late to start exercising and maintaining your health. Don’t jump straight into strenuous exercise; do it gradually and with discipline. We can definitely look younger, fitter, and more productive,” he said.
Supporting Sally’s statement, sports medicine specialist Sophia Hage also stated that regular exercise can improve cognitive function and memory, increase work productivity by 12 to 15% and reduce the risk of depression by up to 30%.
Sophia explained that healthy living is not only about preventing disease, but also about building the nation’s capacity to think better, move stronger, work more productively, and achieve higher.
One interesting aspect of this year’s Fornas was the presence of an 85-year-old speaker who is still fit and active and even continues to compete. She is the oldest and best female swimmer in the 2025 Wirawati Cup, Kartini Sapardjiman.
Kartini explained that the key to a healthy and long life is disciplined exercise from a young age, limiting food intake, and always striving for positive thinking. She also offered tips on how to prevent dementia by regularly practicing brain exercises. She believes that dementia should not be considered a normalization of aging; it can be overcome by diligently practicing brain exercises and exercising regularly.
As before, this National Forum was implemented through four stages: Preparation (surveys and discussions with expert facilitators and program managers), Implementation (in-depth discussions and public input), Analysis (analysis of discussion results, public input, and consultations), and Post-National Forum (presentation of analysis results based on expert and public input). The core session of this activity includes presentations. role model inspirational for all ages, followed by in-depth discussions on 6 topics breakout rooms which includes Healthy Eating Patterns, Physical Activity, Stopping Addiction to Cigarettes and Addictive Substances, Mental-Social Health, Early Detection of Diseases, and Personal Hygiene, Sanitation, and a Healthy Environment. (Author: Kurniatun Karomah, Editor: Pusjak SKK)