The Public Health Ministry has launched a campaign to increase the average height of Thais to meet its targets of 180cm for men and 170cm for women within the next 20 years.
Health Department chief Wachira Pengchan said yesterday Thai children have height issues as parents lack understanding of proper child growth and development.
According to the National Statistics Office, between 2009 and 2010, the average height for 19-year-old Thai girls was 157cm and 169cm for Thai boys.
That has improved, as the figures for the period between 2014 and 2015 are 158cm for girls and 171cm for boys.
During the five-year period, the average height of Thai teens increased about 2cm, he said.
The Department of Health has set an ambitious target to increase height over the next 20 years.
The targets are in line with the Second National Policy and Strategy on Reproductive Health, which says the average height of Thai women should be 170cm and 180cm for Thai men.
Children have their growth spurt when they reach adolescence, he said, adding the height of healthy children should increase by 9cm a year on average.
There is a misconception that girls stop growing after menstruation begins, Dr Wachira said. Some parents may not continue feeding girls plenty of healthy foods after that point, he added. "That is a factor that affects the average height of Thai women," he said. Child growth usually stops after puberty, he added.
The campaign will focus on sharing knowledge about growth and reproductive health.
Dr Wachira urged parents to ensure their children have a nutritious diet when they reach their peak growth rate. He said there are three key ways to increase a child's height: providing high protein foods such as milk; promoting daily exercise; and getting plenty of sleep.