JAKARTA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's Ministry of Health has introduced a front-of-pack nutrition labeling policy aimed at helping consumers identify levels of sugar, salt and fat in processed foods and beverages, as part of efforts to reduce the prevalence of major non-communicable diseases

Announced at a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, the policy requires labels to be displayed prominently on the front of product packaging, based on standards set by the World Health Organization.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said excessive intake of sugar, salt and fat is a key driver of diseases with the highest mortality rates in the country, including stroke, heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease. He added that such conditions have also placed a heavy financial burden on the national health insurance system.

As an initial phase, the policy will be implemented on a voluntary basis within the processed beverage industry. The government plans to make the labeling mandatory and extend it to processed food products within the next two years. ■