By Stanley Widianto and Jennifer Rigby

JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia will set a deadline of two years for food and beverage companies to meet new labelling norms for products high in salt, sugar or fat, a government official told Reuters, a move that spells more delays in efforts to curb fast-rising obesity.

Health ministry data shows obesity became twice as prevalent over the decade to 2023 in the world’s fourth most populous nation of 280 million, while child agency UNICEF warned of risks to one in three adults and one in five school-age children.

The grace period for labelling norms follows lobbying by the United States, regional trade group Food Industry Asia and domestic manufacturers, who have urged the government of President Prabowo Subianto to reconsider enforcement.

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