Thailand ranks third worst in Asean in terms of child obesity, with 84.1% of children aged six to 14 years regularly consuming salty snacks, a new study has revealed.
To raise awareness of this, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) recently joined forces with a handful of other bodies, including the Public Health Ministry, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and several health advocacy networks to host an event titled "Don't Let Children Become Obese" at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.
The event featured presentations of creative initiatives designed to promote healthier eating habits in young people, emphasising the importance of reducing sweet, fatty and salty foods while increasing vegetable and fruit consumption.
Yanee Ratborirak, acting director of ThaiHealth's Office of Media System Promotion and Intellectual Health, said Thailand has the third-highest level of childhood obesity among the 10 members of Asean, after Malaysia and Brunei.
According to 2023 data, 9.13% of Thai children aged up to the age of five years, 13.4% of those in the 6-14 bracket and 13.2% of teens aged 15-18 were obese or nearly obese.
The primary causes were poor dietary habits and insufficient physical activity.
The data also showed that 84.1% of children aged 6-14 often consume salty snacks, averaging 1.35 packs per day. The comparable rate for younger children aged 1-5 was 76.5%, consuming an average of 1.23 packs per day.
The World Obesity Federation predicts that by 2030, 50% of children globally will be obese.
According to Ms Yanee, the "Don't Let Children Become Obese" event aimed to promote a cultural shift toward healthier nutritional behaviours through the design of creative media and prototype innovations. The project emphasised participation from school administrators, teachers, communities, families and student leaders, she said.
Sa-nga Damapong, an honorary advisor to the Nutrition Association of Thailand, praised the initiative's success over the past five years.
He said that tangible innovations, including creative media and methods to persuade children to adopt healthier dietary and exercise habits, are crucial in empowering them to grow up healthily.
