The Department of Health has set a target to increase the average height of Thai men to 175cm, and women to 165cm, within 10 years.
Deputy director Narong Saiwong said on Friday the department’s policy also aims at boosting the average intelligence quotient (IQ) of Thai children to at least 100 within 10 years.
In a survey of Thai children's IQs in 2014, the average score for students at Prathom 1 (Grade 1) level nationwide was 93.1, falling from an average 94 in the previous survey in 2011, Dr Narong said.
The world standard for an IQ average is 100.
The 10-year plan also aims to reduce the rate of student obesity by 0.5% a year, from the current 9.9%, and reduce the incidence of short statured people from 7.5% to 5% of the population, Dr Narong said.
To help accomplish all this, the department will increase school lunch subsidies from 13 baht to 20 baht per head and committees will be set up to check the quality of raw produce used for school meals to ensure students receive sufficient nutrition to boost their growth, the department deputy chief said.
