Situational report of diabetes in Indonesia: Unveiling Indonesia's battle with the sweet killer 2013–2023

This report presents a comprehensive descriptive analysis of diabetes prevalence, care cascade performance, and diabetes management quality in Indonesia from 2013 to 2023, drawing on three waves of national health survey data (Riset Kesehatan Dasar/Riskesdas 2013, 2018, and Survei Kesehatan Indonesia 2023). Key findings include a total diabetes prevalence of approximately 11.3% among Indonesian adults in 2023, with around 80% of cases remaining undiagnosed across all survey years. The care cascade analysis reveals that only 6.5% of the diabetic population achieved glycemic control in 2023, despite notable improvements in treatment coverage following the launch of JKN in 2014. The report also documents Indonesia's diagnostic complexity, showing poor concordance between FPG, OGTT, and HbA1c testing strategies, particularly among females, with OGTT consistently detecting cases missed by fasting glucose alone. A synthetic birth cohort analysis further reveals that younger generations (born in the 1980s–2000s) show lower age-specific prevalence than preceding cohorts, suggesting a possible generational shift in risk. Among diagnosed individuals, fewer than 6% achieved full composite behavioral and laboratory targets in 2023, with physical inactivity, poor dietary fiber intake, and worsening central obesity identified as persistent management gaps. Substantial inequalities were documented across wealth quintiles, sex, urbanicity, age groups, and geography, with the wealthiest individuals more than twice as likely to be diagnosed and controlled compared to the poorest. Subgroup analyses cover sex, age, BMI category, urbanicity, wealth quintile, education, occupation, and insurance status.

This report is part of ARC Institute's AMHASS NCD Dissemination Series.