Thai children are being urged to exercise more after nearly receiving a failing grade on an international active health assessment.
Of the 38 countries assessed in the newly launched Active Healthy Kids Report Card, Thai children scored a D- grade, comparing unfavorably to the rankings for children in Slovenia (A-), New Zealand (B-) and even Zimbabwe (C+).
"Kids need to get away from the computer and video games, go outside and play more," said Active Healthy Alliance chair Mark Tremblay at the sixth International Congress on Physical Activity and Public Health in Bangkok.
More than 800 experts and policymakers on physical activity worldwide attended the forum at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center that ended on Saturday. It was the first such event held in Asia.
Countries were given evaluations from A to F based on nine indicators: overall physical activity; organised sport participation; active play; active transportation; sedentary behaviour; family and peers; school; community and the built environment; and government strategies and investments.
Thailand's performance was based on data collected from 16,788 children aged between six and 17 in 336 schools in Bangkok and 26 other provinces last year.
"Giving more freedom for children to play outdoors can help them build their own confidence and ability to solve problems," Mr Tremblay said.
In the report, Thailand scored a B in an active transportation, with 51.2% of children taking public buses, cycling or walking as their usual means of getting to and from school.
The roles of Thai parents were also assessed, with 85.6% of them encouraging their kids to exercise, while 32.8% of them play sports with their children. The country was given a B in this category.
For other indicators, such as the community's roles, built environment and the school setting for coming up with greater efforts to promote active play among children, the country was graded C.
However, Thailand failed to improve its overall performance, the report noted.
Sedentary behaviour was prevalent among Thai children as 70.3% of those aged between 14 and 17 were found to spend more than two hours a day on screen-based activities such as television and video games. Thai children failed the active play category, scoring an F as only 9.1% in the 14-17 age range engaged in more than two hours of play a day.
Globally, physical inactivity is a contributing factor to 3.2 million deaths per year. Mr Tremblay said people spend an average of less than 30 minutes a day on physical movement.
The World Health Organisation advises schoolchildren to move for least an hour per day, while 150 minutes per week of exercise is recommended for the adults and elderly.
The international congress targets a 10% global reduction in sedentary behaviour over the next nine years.
"To make a move in daily life is easy, but most of us do not do," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO regional director for Southeast Asia. She said she spares two hours every morning for walking and doing yoga before work.
In Thailand, physical inactivity has been blamed for heart attacks, diabetes, strokes and several types of cancer, with 5.1% of deaths due to low physical activity.
Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Sophon Mektho said the government wanted to put more effort into increasing physical activity among people, especially children. Physical activity will be promoted at both national and local levels.
At the closing ceremony of the congress yesterday, the Bangkok Declaration for Physical Activity for Sustainable Development was adopted to support the global commitment to increase physical activity.
The declaration will later be forwarded to the cabinet for approval so that further steps can be taken to increase physical activity at schools and workplaces.
The report suggests the Public Health Ministry increase the minimum hours of physical education at schools.