Jakarta, Nov. 19 -- Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan has called on nutrition experts to help monitor and educate the public on proper food choices for children.

"We encourage nutritionists to monitor food sold anywhere. Indonesia has a high number of people with diabetes or elevated blood sugar, including children. We ask everyone to work together to educate the public on high-sugar foods," Hasan said during a press conference here on Wednesday.

He noted that extremely sweet drinks and sugary snacks are often sold near schools, posing risks for children's health.

"We ask nutrition experts to provide guidance on which foods are suitable for children and which should be avoided, especially those with excessive sugar,...