One in five Thai kids face obesity because of poor eating habits

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20% of kids face obesity by 2015

Published: 28 Jan 2013 at 17.24
Online news: Local News

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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ricoaj22
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Discussion 16 : 29 Jan 2013 at 12.5016
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Just a thought. but how about give children a little Education about what food is actually healthy and what isn't. My guess is that many adults let alone kids country wide haven't got the first clue about a healthy, balanced diet.

And having studied nutrition modules within higher Education i know that having white rice more than twice a day every day isn't healthy (whether or not it increases the amount of fat you have).

Also limiting availability of junk food wouldn't be a bad call
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dao
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Discussion 15 : 28 Jan 2013 at 23.0715
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Children lack iodine because they use fish sauce as a substitute for salt .Most street food vendors serve almost no vegetables .Mama noodles isnt even food .The irony is the diet we started out with was so much better .Instant food so bad for you that you would almost be healthier starving .Exercise has been replaced with lying around playing on computers or watching TV .You reap what you sow .
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opiner
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Discussion 14 : 28 Jan 2013 at 22.0214
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Eggmeng, how right you are. One of the reasons I always used to miss Thailand when I was away was the sight of so many slim, trim and beautiful women wherever you went. Now that's virtually gone. The typical young Thai woman is now chunky and considerably less elegant than she was even five years ago. The rapid ongoing deterioration in Thai looks - and Thai health - is truly depressing.
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oldguy
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Discussion 13 : 28 Jan 2013 at 20.4913
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P.S. My daughters are not fat as daddy has taught them how to eat right.....
Just sayin'
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Bangon
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Discussion 12 : 28 Jan 2013 at 20.4912
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The excess of sugar is surely a problem. But fat in the kids' food! Heated palm oleine mostly, the worst there is! Tried to convince the parents of my god-daughter, but to no avail (biomass what's that, bad Farang medicine?). As long as the image of the Chinese 'fat buddha' remains the ideal for the kids in families which have reached some kind of material comfort, Thailand will go the same way as the US. Buddhism might help, but most know what way it's also going with That in Thailand...
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oldguy
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Discussion 11 : 28 Jan 2013 at 20.4711
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Might as well get it over with and move to The United States of America...
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Eggmeng
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Discussion 10 : 28 Jan 2013 at 20.1410
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It's beyond upsetting. The once beautiful Thai people are fast losing not just their looks, but also their health.

The rampant juvenile obesity is alarming, but more alarming is what appears to be an almost total negligence of the dangers. My daughter's little friend is already morbidly obese at 8. The grownups in his life call him "fatty" and feed him sugar cakes.

The street vendors are ignorant, but the corporate offenders are truly evil. The "convenience" stores, (almost all of which I believe are owned by the same behemoth food conglomerate), seem to have succeeded in their strategy to get large numbers hooked on junk.
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siamitude
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Discussion 9 : 28 Jan 2013 at 20.009
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The exemple should come from the very top...
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bkkmatt
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Discussion 8 : 28 Jan 2013 at 19.498
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I blame the parents. Saying yes to everything and giving children everything is not being a good parent in my opinion.
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picasso
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Discussion 7 : 28 Jan 2013 at 19.367
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Every year at the school I work at, we have medical check-ups for students and teachers. The Director of the school has told me that the number of students overweight increases every year. Unlike other schools, our school kitchen prepares the same lunch for all students and teachers. The teachers are always complaining that the cooks put too much sugar in everything. Many high school students, who are addicted to sugar I'm sure, also tell me frequently there is too much sugar in the food. After lunch, students are standing at the iron gates, calling across the street to shops to buy sugared drinks and sugared snack.
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20% of kids face obesity by 2015

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