Region’s nutritionists in Bangkok planning war on malnutrition

By The Nation

 

Cr Thai Health Promotion

 

The Public Health Ministry’s Department of Health is this week hosting a workshop for 70 nutritionists and healthcare officials from all 10 Southeast Asian countries to exchange ideas for a “nutrition surveillance system”.
 

Dr Amporn Benjaponpitak, the department’s deputy director-general, said on Wednesday the participants would be visiting places where the promotion of nutrition had been successful, such as an iodine-salt factory in Ratchaburi and the “red-cheeked women by vitamins” project based in Chon Buri and Samut Prakan.

 

The aim, said former deputy health minister Wanlop Thainua, was to tackle malnutrition issues in all age groups, especially children, and meet World Health Organisation Global Nutrition Targets, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and a global action plan on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases.

 

Wanlop outlined the objectives while opening the workshop on March 5. It continues through March 8 at a Bangkok hotel.

 

He cited a recent report that an increasing number of Thai children were overweight and too short for their ages. 

 

It said 10.6 per cent of children under five were too short for their age group, which Wanlop called a concern despite the mean height in Thailand of 0.89 being somewhat taller than the global average of 0.77.

 

The report said 9.1 per cent of Thai youngsters were overweight and 5.6 per cent “too thin”. Among children six to 14, 8.3 per cent were too short, 13.1 per cent overweight and 4.3 per cent too thin.

 

The Health Department would like to see at least 68 per cent of six- to 14-year-olds reach a healthy weight and height this year.

 

Its “First 1,000 days of life” scheme promotes children’s development and wellbeing from birth to their second birthday through better post-natal care, nutrition and proper parenting.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30365293

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-06

Please don't tell my neighbors about it there are already enough fatties around and in consequence that would mean only one person in the elevator instead of 6.

Well, first step, ban those illegal chemicals forever....

OK, chems and nutrients are bound to have a lot to do with malnutrition and overweightness/obesity but the biggest culprit, by far - if Thais were going to be honest enough to admit it - is the lethargic, TV-focused life style of the typical Thai family. I live in what I think is one of the 'nicest' villages in the country, up in rural and supposedly poverty-stricken Isan, but I NEVER see a family taking a walk together, let alone using the modest exercise area that the local govt provided nearby. But at whatever time of day I cycle past the open doors of the village homesteads, the large-screen TV is on and there are people sat on the floor, looking almost in homage of this thing that - to me, a farang - seems to broadcast nothing but Thais screaming and howling at each other . . . and there's nearly always a bag (or 2 or 3) of crisps to be seen. A few hours of that every day, regardless of diet, and Thailand's already shameful obesity problem is bound to get worse.

 

Come on you clever health experts and dieticians, tackle the problem where it lies, difficult as it may be in this country where anything seems to be OK and people are afraid to tell others how to behave, where everything is mae pen rai . . . if you're happy to look like an overstuffed pig, that is. Could these experts have the guts and conviction to tell a tubby: "Come on, barrel-boy . . . put those chips down and join me and my pals on a nice little walk, round the lake and, if you're really good, you can try out those scary-looking exercise machines?" I doubt it, somehow.

 

 

 

If the regions nutritionists were really serious about a healthy diet why didn't they join the fight against pesticides so that people can actually eat fruit & vegetables to make a healthy balanced diet!

I don't live in Bangkok but in the small area around me there are not only people with malnutrition but also children that are malnourished.

The number of children, particularly males, showing signs of poor mental development, bone disorders ( due to diet, poor human interaction etc. ) and conditions such as ADHD's is higher than one would expect.

 

 

 

OH NO another one day war, like the plastics ,the pollution the road carnage , the garbage ...sorted then !

17 hours ago, Lupatria said:

Please don't tell my neighbors about it there are already enough fatties around and in consequence that would mean only one person in the elevator instead of 6.

I first visited Thailand in 1988. I saw no one that was obese.

Nor did I see children behaving in a hyper active way.

Now I see lots of mums and fat kids in KFC stores, chowing down on Pepsi, fatty chicken offcuts and trans cooked potato slivers that the French call? 

Double cooked Brit potato "chips" the big chunky potato slices, provide less area to impregnate fat into the chip.

They are healthier and can be cooked with rice bran and olive oil.