Thai People Gets Taller, Fatter, More Tubular

[Bagwan]

All the more to cuddle

And then they roll over during the night! Gasp!

Is this the beginning of the end for the 'cowgirl' position?

[sprq]

Having first come here in 1979, I've seen enormous change, but in body size it's only really in the last ten years that big change has occurred. Besides all the socio-economic factors people have mentioned, there is one key correlation to my mind --7-11 and the food its sells.

When 7-11 stated about 20 years ago, the food on sale was relatively healthy, not great, but still reasonable. Gradually, they started filling the shelves with snack foods until well over half the stores are now devoted to this cr*p full of salt, fats, sugar and chemicals. The industry calls this kind of food "value-added", because the cost of the basic ingredient, e.g. peanuts, potatoes, corn, is very low; because of all the processing, which also doesn't cost the maufacturers that much, they pin a huge price to the end product. There is actually no value added in nutrition terms, but value lost, yet the consumer pays about twenty times more for their few ounces of corn chips than they would for the same product raw.

And Thais buy this stuff by the truckload. 7-11s, unlike fast food joints, are found everywhere in the country and have prices affordable by everybody.

If any one business is responsible for the conversion of the lissom Thais I used to know into the chunky ones I now see, it's 7-11.

Behind that are the same corporate capitalist pressures and lifestyle changes that have made Americans so gross, now followed by Brits and others in the West.

It's a great shame. Girl-watching in Thailand will soon be as hopeless as in much of Europe now.

[Igor]

36 - 32 - 38??? Uhmmm, what part of Thailand?

[hardy1943]

I see very few Thais who eat a 'western' diet and even fewer who eat western fast foods. I do see a lot of people, who now that they have more money, stuff themselves and their kids with large amounts of greasy food--still Thai food--but a lot more oil in it than years past--and some really sweet, surgary snacks and drinks.

One of the first things that happen when a society gets richer is that it gets fatter.

Here, in Thailand, when I first arrived, I towered over everyone and weighed quite a bit more. When I took a motorcycle taxi, I had to be careful not to shift my weight because it sent the thing flying in a different direction. I could also look over the driver's head easily. Now, I can hop around back there as much as I want because the driver is about the same size.

Since a lot of these people come from up country, it seems they have grown as well.

you are correct and why keep blaming KFC MCDonalds Pizza Hut for that?

I live in an area where we don't even have them and still every 3rd person seems to be over weight.

Before any fast foods the USA had studies with Japanese immigrants starting some 100 years ago.

Second generation Japanese born in the US where 4 inches taller then their parents and 3rd generation added

another 3 inches and the ones where their forefather came 100-120 years ago are just about as tall as the average

Whites. Its the protein and the diet. Any one with straight legs their diet is usually healthy. First thing I noticed in Thailand most ladies have beautiful straight legs.

[dumball]

Having first come here in 1979, I've seen enormous change, but in body size it's only really in the last ten years that big change has occurred. Besides all the socio-economic factors people have mentioned, there is one key correlation to my mind --7-11 and the food its sells.

When 7-11 stated about 20 years ago, the food on sale was relatively healthy, not great, but still reasonable. Gradually, they started filling the shelves with snack foods until well over half the stores are now devoted to this cr*p full of salt, fats, sugar and chemicals. The industry calls this kind of food "value-added", because the cost of the basic ingredient, e.g. peanuts, potatoes, corn, is very low; because of all the processing, which also doesn't cost the maufacturers that much, they pin a huge price to the end product. There is actually no value added in nutrition terms, but value lost, yet the consumer pays about twenty times more for their few ounces of corn chips than they would for the same product raw.

And Thais buy this stuff by the truckload. 7-11s, unlike fast food joints, are found everywhere in the country and have prices affordable by everybody.

If any one business is responsible for the conversion of the lissom Thais I used to know into the chunky ones I now see, it's 7-11.

Behind that are the same corporate capitalist pressures and lifestyle changes that have made Americans so gross, now followed by Brits and others in the West.

It's a great shame. Girl-watching in Thailand will soon be as hopeless as in much of Europe now.

Have you not noticed , most Thai food many eat are full of salt , sugar . fat and chemicals , The chemicals are induced at growth , salt and sugar are added to food if it needs it or not , and just about everything street vendors have on hand is cooked in oil , usualy palm oil , even thier bread have salt and sugar as regular ingredients .Do you have another reson for 'Size' increase ?

[Mitker]

And Thais buy this stuff by the truckload. 7-11s, unlike fast food joints, are found everywhere in the country and have prices affordable by everybody.

If any one business is responsible for the conversion of the lissom Thais I used to know into the chunky ones I now see, it's 7-11.

Behind that are the same corporate capitalist pressures and lifestyle changes that have made Americans so gross, now followed by Brits and others in the West.

I do agree with this.

And more globally, food is getting more and more saturated with oil, sugar and salt. Even soy milk that should be a healthy drink deserves a good reading of the label: sugar reaches 8, 10 or even 14% of the content! Try to imagine the deep sugar layer it would represent in the bottom of the box. And after that they add vegetable oil (they don't specify which one).

But there's still plenty of healthy food available in restaurants or shops. Just have to make the right choice.

[Felt 35]

I dear to think different either its here or in the West people get fat.

Unless a person have a sickness which make them easily gain weight and get fat or an inherited heavy build body composition from parents then I personally think this is about how parents bring up their children.

Are the parents of a strong character and show moderation to temptations passing by in today’s modern world! How are their own moderation to food. Do they teach the children that the words easy and more not necessary mean better, etc.

Another thing which should be easy to bring on for parents in today’s informative age is the need for a little bit of movement for our bodies. Walk a half hour a day and you can eat burger to breakfast all week.

As a small boy I can remember when Grandfather had a meal. When he had bacon the dip was fat from the frying pan, he salted the food without taste beforehand and 4-5 bits with sugar to each cup of coffee was usual, but he was not a kilo over normal weight, but they moved their bodies.

[dumball]

And Thais buy this stuff by the truckload. 7-11s, unlike fast food joints, are found everywhere in the country and have prices affordable by everybody.

If any one business is responsible for the conversion of the lissom Thais I used to know into the chunky ones I now see, it's 7-11.

Behind that are the same corporate capitalist pressures and lifestyle changes that have made Americans so gross, now followed by Brits and others in the West.

I do agree with this.

And more globally, food is getting more and more saturated with oil, sugar and salt. Even soy milk that should be a healthy drink deserves a good reading of the label: sugar reaches 8, 10 or even 14% of the content! Try to imagine the deep sugar layer it would represent in the bottom of the box. And after that they add vegetable oil (they don't specify which one).

But there's still plenty of healthy food available in restaurants or shops. Just have to make the right choice.

Now how can you honestly make a statement like that ? Do you go into the kitchens of all the restaraunts where you partake of food , inspect both the kitchen for hygenic conditions and the ingredients of the food proffered on the menu ? When you do , please come back and inform this forum where healthy food is on the menu , all of it . I have no doubt whatsoever of your good intent , but please , do not take the word of any person trying to make the best profit possible from you or any other diner , if you cannot do this , I am afraid you have become just another of the multitude of western Wanabees resident in Thailand .

[animatic]

It's a shame to watch all the bar girls grow more tubular...

[dumball]

I can feel for you , tubular waists leave too much to speculation , hands around the waste , slow interaction of bodily fluids and a true perspective of hieghts attained , pleasure at its greatest .

[Felt 35]

Ops! Sorry it should be dare below there!

I dare to think different either its here or in the West people get fat.

Unless a person have a sickness which make them easily gain weight and get fat or an inherited heavy build body composition from parents then I personally think this is about how parents bring up their children.

Are the parents of a strong character and show moderation to temptations passing by in today’s modern world! How are their own moderation to food. Do they teach the children that the words easy and more not necessary mean better, etc.

Another thing which should be easy to bring on for parents in today’s informative age is the need for a little bit of movement for our bodies. Walk a half hour a day and you can eat burger to breakfast all week.

As a small boy I can remember when Grandfather had a meal. When he had bacon the dip was fat from the frying pan, he salted the food without taste beforehand and 4-5 bits with sugar to each cup of coffee was usual, but he was not a kilo over normal weight, but they moved their bodies.

[wotaplonker]

even though there have been several humourous replies, this is a very serious issue for los and the world, back here in the Uk we are now starting to see the early years of an obesity epidemic and all the health problems that come with it (not to mention the growth of liver diesease due to the relatively new phenomenon of regular drinking at home)

add in disease due to smoking and and diseases associated with the elderly, one sees the uk is facing in the next 50 or so years a health nightmare. (a nightmare that is now hitting the Usa)

Besides the tremendous human misery this is causing and going to cause, one wonders how the health treatment bill for this is going to be paid?it

It will be sometime before this nightmare truly affects Thailand but sadly it seems you have taken some movement towards it.

Remember Mcdonalds kfc etc etc could not give a dam_n about the health of whoever or wherever they sell, they are limited companies whose first responsibility is to make profit for their shareholders.

The point made by a previous poster regarding 7/11's is well said, when i have holidayed in los i often use 7/11's to buy nuts, dried fruit and drinks. But much of the stuff on offer is nutritional garbage.

anyhoo i am now off the get my bargain bucket at Kfc

Cheers wap

How the

[Sturbuc]

New survey finds average Thais taller, fatter, more tubular

... and about 12 kilometre fatter ...

no comment.