One in five Thai kids face obesity because of poor eating habits | Bangkok Post: news

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20% of kids face obesity by 2015

About one in five Thai preschoolers and one in 10 children of school age may suffer from obesity by 2015 because they are not getting proper nutrition, Department of Health deputy director-general Theerapol Topanthanont said on Monday.

Dr Theerapol said Thai children on average consume only about one and a half tablespoons of vegetables each day, instead of the recommended 12 tablespoons. Many children were also lacking iodine or iron, which could lead to various health problems.

File photo by Patipat Janthong

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  • nitnoi

    United StatesPost : 577

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    Discussion 6 : 28 Jan 2013 at 19.326

    I don't know who invented the way to measure the portion of food , it is very cleared by spoonful. it's practical. Western(US) measures by cup.Who eats food measured by cup? Per serving is also not cleared, East people consider portion differently. 12 spoonfuls isn't much. My nephew grew up with KFC in Bangkok.MY niece is half of his size. Neither of them would have even small piece of bean sprout in their food. Who to blame? Accessibility to fast food? Parents also can afford buying fast food for kids. They are not cheap, pizza,KFC all these are products of western world.Dark&skinny are the symbol of lowclass& poor in Thailand.Got picture?

  • Bobbyak

    Discussion 5 : 28 Jan 2013 at 19.045

    At the primary school where I teach, its more like 2-3 fat kids out of 10. There are no healthy foods available but sugary snacks and drinks! Why? Cause it's good business and the director gets a good cut from business! Healthy foods campaign? Forget it, to much money at risk!
    from iPhone application.

  • jacksprat

    ThailandPost : 2,556

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    Discussion 4 : 28 Jan 2013 at 18.514

    I see university students pick the veggies out of their food every day. Then they have ice cream for dessert.

  • boons

    United StatesPost : 696

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    Discussion 3 : 28 Jan 2013 at 18.303

    Thailand is indeed a fat culture. A friend of mine who came to Thailand for just a few days made the comment and it really took me by surprise: "I'm surprised that all the kids are fat and the adults are thin", he said. "They must lose weight when the get older?"

    ..at which point I explained to him that this was a very new epidemic. And no, this generation of Thai kids would likely not become skinny adults.

    Meanwhile, the business pages are lauding the arrival of the latest Thai sugar water, "Est". That might have something to do with the fact that Thai people are now generally fat.

  • soltair

    ThailandPost : 831

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    Discussion 2 : 28 Jan 2013 at 18.252

    Regulate the most used poison in Thai food, refined sugar, is the best start. Ban food cars next to school gates where all the sugar loaded drinks and foods are being pushed to even the youngest around. Teach parents and teachers how to teach children. TV ads warning about the health risk of sugar and beware the sugar cane factory Mafia with their lobbying our in corruptible law makers. .

  • elvis

    ThailandPost : 432

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    Discussion 1 : 28 Jan 2013 at 18.131

    This doesn't surprise me. Fighting this problem should start at schools where kids in the afternoon have no choice other than deep fried, oily snacks. During lunch time, the options aren't much better. So much for the "healthy Thai food". And don't get me started on the fast food chains that many Thai kids seem to have a fetish for.

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