Health Plan To Make Thai Children Healthier And More Intelligent

[george]

Health plan to make Thai children healthier and more intelligent

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry yesterday approved a Bt1.2 billion plan to raise the average intelligence level of Thai children and to help them grow healthier and taller.

The plan aims to lift the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of Thai children to average scores of 110 [iQ denotes the ratio of a person's intelligence to the statistical norm] and- reflecting their good health- have them standing 175 centimetres tall.

Currently, Thai children have an average IQ score of 103 and an average height of 165 cm.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai revealed the plan was launched in response to findings that Thai children's physical and intellectual development was still lower than international standards. It will be based on improved nutrition and care starting from pregnancy.

According to ministry records, over 90,000 babies are born underweight or below 2,500 grams each year. Malnutrition during pregnancy was blamed as the main cause, leaving many babies lacking the much-needed vitamin A, iron, folic acid, and zinc.

Malnourished babies often die within a month after birth because of low blood sugar level, or end up suffering from pneumonia and delayed physical development.

To stop such problems, Wittaya said the public health department would hand out free multi-vitamins to 800,000 pregnant women through hospitals across the country. Multi-vitamins, containing essential minerals as folic acid, zinc, vitamin A, calcium, iodine, will be provided to the women, one tablet per day for nine months.

The multi-vitamins would reduce the risk of premature birth, boost the mother's immune system, improve hormone growth, strengthen bones, lower the risk of toxaemia, and develop nerve cells.

The public health department has also teamed up with administrative organisations nationwide to help encourage children's emotional and intellectual development. The department's director general Dr Chatree Banchuen said his agency would also teach parents about how to develop children's learning skills.

To babies born this Saturday, the public health ministry will give a cartoon-version of "Phra Mahachanok" - His Majesty's best selling book. The book is based on a traditional Jakata story from Buddhist scripture. The gift celebrates National Children's Day, which falls on the second Saturday of January every year.

In a related development, the Department of Disease Control says it is boosting its fight against infectious disease among children in kindergartens and nurseries - especially hand-foot-mouth disease, pneumonia, and diarrhoea - diseases that affect over 100,000 children, aged under five years, nationwide.

The department will provide training for nannies in disease prevention in nurseries and kindergartens. It will also produce 2,000 cartoon books telling stories for children about disease prevention.

And the department of medical science will conduct a screening test for autism and intellectual disabilities in new born babies to reduce mental retardation among children.

-- The Nation 2009-01-08

[dumball]

It is funny they would think about this , must have been the contraversy here on TV amongst the native eaters vesus the Western style diet , many of the wanabees denied the fact that the Thai diet is niether healthy nor nutricious . Starts with the rice , take a good product containing several vitamins , process it until it contains only one vitamin and make that your staple diet . Without rice most Thai would figure they were not eating good where-as in the Western world it is used as part of a slimming diet .

Several years ago , a study was conducted in remote villages of China due to retarded mental growth , iodised salt was the cure , how many Thai consume iodised salt ?

Do you think most of Thai will go with this programme considering thier perpensity not to listen too good ? How can you get parents to improve anything , when normal family practise is to leave young children with old gandparents , many of whom are still living in the old ways ? . Are the government missing a few pointers here or are they just out of touch with reality ?

[Ijustwannateach]

It's almost not worth pointing out that the normal average IQ for a population is DEFINED as 100 (i.e., a child of 12 has the intelligence that would expect from a child of 12, on average).

Sigh.

[Petesear]

The development of child starts in the womb. What an expectant mother eats and doesn't eat whilst pregnant will effect the future development of the unborn child. Thai children from a wealthier background are often more intelligent and 'taller'. So, whilst Granny may well be raising the child the old fashioned way- meat, veg and fruit, (nothing wrong there then) the mother is ultimately responsible for the foetal stage and therefore the future development.

The distribution of vitamins should be applauded. And advise on which food stuffs to have and avoid would be good too.

[Merangue]

The development of child starts in the womb. What an expectant mother eats and doesn't eat whilst pregnant will effect the future development of the unborn child. Thai children from a wealthier background are often more intelligent and 'taller'. So, whilst Granny may well be raising the child the old fashioned way- meat, veg and fruit, (nothing wrong there then) the mother is ultimately responsible for the foetal stage and therefore the future development.

The distribution of vitamins should be applauded. And advise on which food stuffs to have and avoid would be good too.

Whilst i can agree with the taller i disagree with the more intelligent.

Could it not simply be that Thai children from a wealthier background often have better education and more time to spend developing the ability to sit IQ tests?

[oceano]

Bt1.2 billion...

give food to the poor people that dont have nothings to eat...?

make a school free of charge...?

improve safety on the road..?

this people are luky..they dont spend their own money..so they can spend for nothing.

ciao

[Chang_paarp]

IQ is a measure of potential.

Having the biggest tool box does not make the best mechanic, unless the mechanic knows how to usr them. Having a bunch of kids with raised IQ's means little if they are not taught to use their brain, critical thinking, analytical problem solving are absent from the schooling.

[PeaceBlondie]

We have seen reports in recent years from high ministry officials, that the average IQ of the Thais was more like 87, on a world scale. Now is it 103. Amazing. And you do not get an increase of 10 cm. of average body height in a full generation, normally. Especially if many Thais are lactose intolerant.

[Nampeung]

Dumb Ball - Fish Sauce, overseen by a UN-led programme, has contained added iodine in Thailand since the early 1990s

[LaoPo]

We have seen reports in recent years from high ministry officials, that the average IQ of the Thais was more like 87, on a world scale. Now is it 103. Amazing. And you do not get an increase of 10 cm. of average body height in a full generation, normally. Especially if many Thais are lactose intolerant.

I fully agree PB.

Two years ago I wrote a detailed report about the IQ of Thai children but refrained from posting it since I was afraid the report would be attacked on this forum and I was right, unfortunately, since I once posted about genetic differences in the various worldwide races -because of a lack of proper nutrition- and was attacked quite severe (as if I was to be blamed.....), so I passed.

Thai children's IQ average low

The average intelligence quotient (IQ) of Thai children, somewhere between 87 and 88 points, remains in the "low average" category when ranked internationally, Vice Minister for Education Watchara Phanchet said on Wednesday.

....the article is from July 19, 2006...

http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/19/hea...es_30009114.php

LaoPo

[TJAN]

Dumb Ball - Fish Sauce, overseen by a UN-led programme, has contained added iodine in Thailand since the early 1990s

You did not know that DUMB BALL

[hardy1943]

IQ is a measure of potential.

Having the biggest tool box does not make the best mechanic, unless the mechanic knows how to usr them. Having a bunch of kids with raised IQ's means little if they are not taught to use their brain, critical thinking, analytical problem solving are absent from the schooling.

Well put , free thinking and being an individual is a big no no and a course in logic would not hurt either.

[OlRedEyes]

Glad we're getting back to our daily govt. pronouncements. Been missing them.

[jamesjdaly]

The Public Health Ministry yesterday approved a plan to raise the average intelligence level of Thai children and to help them grow healthier and taller.

Healthier and taller...........

More intelligent............... a mixture of , :jerk: , , and lots of

[samgrowth]

Health Plan To Make Thai Children Healthier And More Intelligent

Are you saying that Thai Children are weak and stupid? But about Thai adult? Look at Sondhi, Thaksin, etc.

I would support a plan by Mark to send all Thai children to Eton paid by Dems scholarship. Also free health food for every children while they were there. That should solve the problem, won't it?

[snowflake]

Guess that once the Thai gov. throws money at free vitamins (which the doctors will probably charge money for) the IQ and the child's height will come automatically???

I dont have any children but if I am rich, will my baby be smarter than most other babies? I think this whole IQ thing is quite stupid, that will come from education in the youth... A rich family will educate their child different than a poor family... Expectations from society will also be factored inn here...

Sure you might get high (pun intended) by eating better but not smarter. I think we can all agree that there are many morons out there with a healthy diet.

[LaoPo]

Guess that once the Thai gov. throws money at free vitamins (which the doctors will probably charge money for) the IQ and the child's height will come automatically???

I dont have any children but if I am rich, will my baby be smarter than most other babies? I think this whole IQ thing is quite stupid, that will come from education in the youth... A rich family will educate their child different than a poor family... Expectations from society will also be factored inn here...

Sure you might get high (pun intended) by eating better but not smarter. I think we can all agree that there are many morons out there with a healthy diet.

It's a mixture of nutrition and education. If you leave either one out it will bring nothing to any child.

It's interesting to look at royal families and nobility in medieval- and even present Europe.

Most of them were/are very tall guys and girls. In medieval times only royalty and nobility had plenty and daily access to meat and other nutritious food.

The poor ate bread and beans (so to speak) and soups. The poor were very small/little people and only during the past 50-60 years (20th century) people are growing because of the rising quality of food.

LaoPo

[ourmaninbangers]

Health plan to make Thai children healthier and more intelligent

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry yesterday approved a Bt1.2 billion plan to raise the average intelligence level of Thai children and to help them grow healthier and taller.

The plan aims to lift the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of Thai children to average scores of 110 [iQ denotes the ratio of a person's intelligence to the statistical norm] and- reflecting their good health- have them standing 175 centimetres tall.

Currently, Thai children have an average IQ score of 103 and an average height of 165 cm.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai revealed the plan was launched in response to findings that Thai children's physical and intellectual development was still lower than international standards. It will be based on improved nutrition and care starting from pregnancy.

According to ministry records, over 90,000 babies are born underweight or below 2,500 grams each year. Malnutrition during pregnancy was blamed as the main cause, leaving many babies lacking the much-needed vitamin A, iron, folic acid, and zinc.

Malnourished babies often die within a month after birth because of low blood sugar level, or end up suffering from pneumonia and delayed physical development.

To stop such problems, Wittaya said the public health department would hand out free multi-vitamins to 800,000 pregnant women through hospitals across the country. Multi-vitamins, containing essential minerals as folic acid, zinc, vitamin A, calcium, iodine, will be provided to the women, one tablet per day for nine months.

The multi-vitamins would reduce the risk of premature birth, boost the mother's immune system, improve hormone growth, strengthen bones, lower the risk of toxaemia, and develop nerve cells.

The public health department has also teamed up with administrative organisations nationwide to help encourage children's emotional and intellectual development. The department's director general Dr Chatree Banchuen said his agency would also teach parents about how to develop children's learning skills.

To babies born this Saturday, the public health ministry will give a cartoon-version of "Phra Mahachanok" - His Majesty's best selling book. The book is based on a traditional Jakata story from Buddhist scripture. The gift celebrates National Children's Day, which falls on the second Saturday of January every year.

In a related development, the Department of Disease Control says it is boosting its fight against infectious disease among children in kindergartens and nurseries - especially hand-foot-mouth disease, pneumonia, and diarrhoea - diseases that affect over 100,000 children, aged under five years, nationwide.

The department will provide training for nannies in disease prevention in nurseries and kindergartens. It will also produce 2,000 cartoon books telling stories for children about disease prevention.

And the department of medical science will conduct a screening test for autism and intellectual disabilities in new born babies to reduce mental retardation among children.

-- The Nation 2009-01-08

raise the average intelligence....first- let them be able to question their rulers

how about diverting some of that wealth to them

it may seem right, so much more could/ought to be done

funny.. I never saw anything about that being a best sellar, I wonder why

[ourmaninbangers]

IQ is a measure of potential.

Having the biggest tool box does not make the best mechanic, unless the mechanic knows how to usr them. Having a bunch of kids with raised IQ's means little if they are not taught to use their brain, critical thinking, analytical problem solving are absent from the schooling.

you are so right... thai's are actually taught not to think

that coupled with the fact they are not allowed to raise certain questions

drilled into conformity has kept them well behind

and some well on top

[warfie]

It's almost not worth pointing out that the normal average IQ for a population is DEFINED as 100 (i.e., a child of 12 has the intelligence that would expect from a child of 12, on average).

Sigh.

Damm... beat me to it... lol

[SpoliaOpima]

IQ is a measure of potential.

Having the biggest tool box does not make the best mechanic, unless the mechanic knows how to usr them. Having a bunch of kids with raised IQ's means little if they are not taught to use their brain, critical thinking, analytical problem solving are absent from the schooling.

Further to this point, IQ is a very poor index for predicting anything other than how you perform on IQ tests. Statistics overwhelmingly indicate that the greatest predictor of career success is not IQ but rather socioeconomic status (SES).

[warfie]

The development of child starts in the womb. What an expectant mother eats and doesn't eat whilst pregnant will effect the future development of the unborn child. Thai children from a wealthier background are often more intelligent and 'taller'. So, whilst Granny may well be raising the child the old fashioned way- meat, veg and fruit, (nothing wrong there then) the mother is ultimately responsible for the foetal stage and therefore the future development.

The distribution of vitamins should be applauded. And advise on which food stuffs to have and avoid would be good too.

Whilst i can agree with the taller i disagree with the more intelligent.

Could it not simply be that Thai children from a wealthier background often have better education and more time to spend developing the ability to sit IQ tests?

Or could it be that tall, intelligent people tend to attract tall, intelligent spouses get wealthy and make tall, intelligent children?

[ourmaninbangers]

IQ is a measure of potential.

Having the biggest tool box does not make the best mechanic, unless the mechanic knows how to usr them. Having a bunch of kids with raised IQ's means little if they are not taught to use their brain, critical thinking, analytical problem solving are absent from the schooling.

Further to this point, IQ is a very poor index for predicting anything other than how you perform on IQ tests. Statistics overwhelmingly indicate that the greatest predictor of career success is not IQ but rather socioeconomic status (SES).

I do not totally agree and studys have been made

some people who do well on IQ test do so because broadly speaking they are much smarter- specially they are able to think laterally, and listen careful to was is said, and often more importantly, what is not said, and not to be mislead, and to mix all these things at once

but I agree about your other points

here is one for you all

a man looks at a picture and say's

" that man's father is my father's son"

who is he refering to?

[jamesjdaly]

^

himself.

Here's one for you. My brother's wife is pregnant and is expecting any day soon. We don't know if it's a boy or a girl. Will I be an aunt or an uncle?

[JoeThePoster]

^

himself.

Here's one for you. My brother's wife is pregnant and is expecting any day soon. We don't know if it's a boy or a girl. Will I be an aunt or an uncle?

That depends on whether she is actually having your brother's child.

[Meerkat]

here is one for you all

a man looks at a picture and say's

" that man's father is my father's son"

who is he refering to?

^

himself.

His son, surely? Also couldn't it be a nephew (the son of his brother)?

[henryalleman]

We have seen reports in recent years from high ministry officials, that the average IQ of the Thais was more like 87, on a world scale. Now is it 103. Amazing. And you do not get an increase of 10 cm. of average body height in a full generation, normally. Especially if many Thais are lactose intolerant.

I fully agree PB.

Two years ago I wrote a detailed report about the IQ of Thai children but refrained from posting it since I was afraid the report would be attacked on this forum and I was right, unfortunately, since I once posted about genetic differences in the various worldwide races -because of a lack of proper nutrition- and was attacked quite severe (as if I was to be blamed.....), so I passed.

Thai children's IQ average low

The average intelligence quotient (IQ) of Thai children, somewhere between 87 and 88 points, remains in the "low average" category when ranked internationally, Vice Minister for Education Watchara Phanchet said on Wednesday.

....the article is from July 19, 2006...

http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/19/hea...es_30009114.php

LaoPo

I think that IQ tests not reveal everything certainly when the tests are based on western standards.

There are many scientific controversies going on about it.

Simply because an American society can't be compared with an Swedish society.

Or an Swedish society with an Bushman in the Kalahari dessert, both society's need completely different skills and intelligence to be successful.

And witch intelligence you gone a measure scientific, social or emphatic intelligence. There are more different IQ tests than there are car models. And which with group they gone a compare.

[futureexpat]

To stop such problems, Wittaya said the public health department would hand out free multi-vitamins to 800,000 pregnant women through hospitals across the country. Multi-vitamins, containing essential minerals as folic acid, zinc, vitamin A, calcium, iodine, will be provided to the women, one tablet per day for nine months.

When do Thai women usually first visit a doctor about their preganancy or to get a pregnancy test? Would this program be likely to give out vitamins for 9 months or is something like 7 or 8 months more likely? Also, waiting until pregnancy is a bit late for something like folic acid, which is important before and after conception. Not sure about the other nutrients.

As far as the word problem, I believe it's his son or his nephew.

[dumball]

Dumb Ball - Fish Sauce, overseen by a UN-led programme, has contained added iodine in Thailand since the early 1990s

You did not know that DUMB BALL

No I did not know that , but then again , nor did the government of THAILAND , and they consume that fermented(rotten) fish sauce , the sourse of which is only available at a certain time of year , I personaly am much fussier about what I put in my body .

Did you READ the article or do a quick scan ? The iodine is mentioned in the body of the article and a reference made to its importance in mental growth , I did not write that article , other than the terrible smell eminating from food being cooked in it , I would have no idea it actualy exists . Thanks for pointing it out though , learn something new everyday if you READ stuff

[ourmaninbangers]

^

himself.

Here's one for you. My brother's wife is pregnant and is expecting any day soon. We don't know if it's a boy or a girl. Will I be an aunt or an uncle?

That depends on whether she is actually having your brother's child.

... that is good, that alone would get you tops marks!