Obese Thais to shed 10,000 tonnes in body weight

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A weight control campaign has been organised during the threemonth Buddhist Lent, between August 3 and October 30, with the aim of reducing obesity among Thai people. Some 17 million are considered grossly overweight, ranking the Kingdom fifth in the Asia Pacific region.

The Public Health Ministry, which raised the idea, said weight reduction would be carried out as a way to make merit during the Buddhist holy period, at the minimum rate of four kilos per month for each person. Deputy permanent secretary Sophon Mekthon said a target of reducing 10,000 tonnes in body weight had been set, with the figure measured in monetary tokens totalling Bt1 million in a fund set up by the ministry.

In addition to 17 million Thai people regarded as being obese, there are around 4 million each year with a tendency to becoming fat and obese. Obesity has cost the government Bt100 billion each year in treatment costs, said Dr Sophon.

The money will go to Buddhist charity projects with many temples and the campaign is expected to see 10 million people taking part, he said. Applications can be made at the provincial public health offices and ministryrun clinics, through a website www.xn72cmtug6clr2a1a3d0d7ke.com, whose URL is in Thai words, and through written applications addressed to the Public Health Ministry.

-- The Nation 2012-07-24

I don't believe that 17 million Thais are 'grossly overweight'. That would be about one in three of the population and you just don't see that. There are obese people here, but nothing compared to most western countries.

Jatuporn likely to check-in to government weight-loss clinic Aug 9.

I don't believe that 17 million Thais are 'grossly overweight'. That would be about one in three of the population and you just don't see that. There are obese people here, but nothing compared to most western countries.

1 in 3 is spot on in Rayong province.

Oh dear. I hope this isn't published in the Thai language media, or else I will never hear the end of it.

Jatuporn likely to check-in to government weight-loss clinic Aug 9.

Fingers crossed!

Thailand, the hub of weight loss.

Oh dear. I hope this isn't published in the Thai language media, or else I will never hear the end of it.

If it is it will probably turn out the Red's say its Abhisits fault :D:blink:

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Thaivisa Connect App

4 kilos per month for 3 months - 12 kilos a person.... nothing like setting realistic goals. That will take some serious group 'fitness' sessions Tesco carpark/Lumphini Park/California Wow

Edited July 24, 201213 yr by JCCR6

The Genie is out of the bottle. With prosperity comes affluence, which begets excess. Couple that with fast food and you have an epidemic of obesity. Just look at what that equation did to the US.

It's not hard to see why when you look at the kids eating butter soaked, sugar coated breads for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, pre-bed snack.

There are students at the school my kids go to, that have elephant feet; that is their legs and calf muscles are bigger than their feet, so it looks like they have elephant feet, just a round mass of flesh contacting the ground.

This can't be healthy.

Thaksin may have to rethink his 64000 doughnut birthday PR stunt :lol:

sent from my Wellcom A90+

Thaksin may have to rethink his 64000 doughnut birthday PR stunt

sent from my Wellcom A90+

If he really meant to celebrate with the whole country, he would go for 64,000,000 doughnuts....not a cheap 64,000 .....

Jatuporn likely to check-in to government weight-loss clinic Aug 9.

That splendid program worked miracles with Viktor Bout and the extremely beneficial results are provided free! .

,

It's not hard to see why when you look at the kids eating butter soaked, sugar coated breads for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, pre-bed snack.

There are students at the school my kids go to, that have elephant feet; that is their legs and calf muscles are bigger than their feet, so it looks like they have elephant feet, just a round mass of flesh contacting the ground.

This can't be healthy.

At least their feet are contacting the ground. What I am seeing are obese kids (many of them under age) riding their motor bikes to 7-11, McDonalds, KFC, market stands which sell sugary drinks, and similar places which contributed to the obesity problems in the west. Even if successful, a 3 month program will have very little overall effect, As long as the culture continues to believe that obesity is a sign of wealth, there will be very little gain (excuse the pun) in the fight against weight loss, especially if this unhealthy lifestyle starts in childhood.

Edited July 24, 201213 yr by jaltsc

That's a lot of weight to lose. Hope there will be medical advise and properly devised weight loss/exercise programmes drawn up or else any loss at best will be short term.

Stopping subsidizing the local sugar price would be a start.

As for 17mn, I think the missed a decimal point. Or is this a cunning plan to stop bangkok sinking so fast?

Edited July 24, 201213 yr by Thai at Heart

Oh dear. I hope this isn't published in the Thai language media, or else I will never hear the end of it.

Your evil nemesis Sondhi strikes another blow....

Manager yesterday:

http://www.manager.c...D=9550000090251

Edited July 24, 201213 yr by Buchholz

Thaksin may have to rethink his 64000 doughnut birthday PR stunt

Some 17 million are considered grossly overweight, ranking the Kingdom fifth in the Asia Pacific region.

Enjoy in Good Health on MY Birthday

.

It's not hard to see why when you look at the kids eating butter soaked, sugar coated breads for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, pre-bed snack.

There are students at the school my kids go to, that have elephant feet; that is their legs and calf muscles are bigger than their feet, so it looks like they have elephant feet, just a round mass of flesh contacting the ground.

This can't be healthy.

And flush it down with coke......

And to make it worse, the Asian body has more problems handling that, than the western one. A lot of them will get sugar and than eye and kidney problems.

Sad to see that.....

Many expats here should apply for this campaign.

17M? Where do they get these stats? 30% of the population? This however from 60 minutes will give most of the answers. Thais have an enormous appetite for sugar. Road stalls, condensed milk, on mango, fruits, with chilli, mixed in noodles and one of the four pots on every spice rack at restaurants. Kids eating soft serves at western fast food outlets, and even mixed surreptitiously into breads. Not just Thailand - the world is being addicted by fructose and sugars in just about everything we have and the worst of all is aspartame, used in all the diet drinks - we simply need to educate and of course that is always frowned upon as the corporate greed controls media. Don't take my word for it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2mSPIjDm1w&feature=player_embedded

During a round of golf you will burn off about 200 calories. After a visit to the locker room the next port of call is the bar where the first pint of best bitter puts back the 200 calories lost.

All of the Thai hospitals that I have exquired at about whether there was a specialist dietician on the staff the answer was in the negative. A search on the Internet about losing weight comes up with some weird and wonderful ideas.

Preventative medicine has yet to arrive in Thailand and why should it? The hospitals are not too enthused about a reduction in patients and income. Eating is an enjoyable experieince and the prediliction of Thais for sanook would surely mean that a sensible diet would be a definite no-no.

My Thai friends' idea of dieting seems to be seeing how long they can go without eating until they are just about to pass-out, then finally agreeing to have dinner with you but telling you how fat they are the entire time. Meanwhile, for those of us that are over 50kg...

17M? Where do they get these stats? 30% of the population? This however from 60 minutes will give most of the answers. Thais have an enormous appetite for sugar. Road stalls, condensed milk, on mango, fruits, with chilli, mixed in noodles and one of the four pots on every spice rack at restaurants. Kids eating soft serves at western fast food outlets, and even mixed surreptitiously into breads. Not just Thailand - the world is being addicted by fructose and sugars in just about everything we have and the worst of all is aspartame, used in all the diet drinks - we simply need to educate and of course that is always frowned upon as the corporate greed controls media. Don't take my word for it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2mSPIjDm1w&feature=player_embedded

That's the great thing about science. You don't have to believe it for it to be true. People will discount these studies and believe the sugar industry's propaganda, while all the time still becoming obese and dying from Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, etc.

Who is keeping track of all the weigh-ins?

They probably got the numbers by carelessly using BMI as a measure. BMI would have made Gandhi look overweight! That said, Thailand does have its fair share of overweight and even obese persons, but I've seen very few who were morbidly so. A little bit of fat is not such a bad thing as long as you get a little exercise. I'd rather stick to what my mother used to use, body height in centimeters minus 100 is your comfortable weight in Kilos. BMI would like to see me (188 cm) at 70-75 kg which would mean that with all my fat I'd also have to shed most of my muscles.

I just wish that there'd be less sugar in basic foods, people should be able to add sugar to their own liking. Sugar in milk and yogurt should be prohibited, also instant coffee should have sugar free types. Easy to avoid the disgusting Fanta rainbows and pad thai usually gets served with sugar on the side, not mixed in already.

But in general, have people exercise a bit.

Sugar is like salt and fat. Too much kills you slowly, too little kills you very quickly.

I think the stats are wrong too. In my travels around Thailand there is now way that one in three are obese. Even in BKK.

17M? Where do they get these stats? 30% of the population? This however from 60 minutes will give most of the answers. Thais have an enormous appetite for sugar. Road stalls, condensed milk, on mango, fruits, with chilli, mixed in noodles and one of the four pots on every spice rack at restaurants. Kids eating soft serves at western fast food outlets, and even mixed surreptitiously into breads. Not just Thailand - the world is being addicted by fructose and sugars in just about everything we have and the worst of all is aspartame, used in all the diet drinks - we simply need to educate and of course that is always frowned upon as the corporate greed controls media. Don't take my word for it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2mSPIjDm1w&feature=player_embedded

That's the great thing about science. You don't have to believe it for it to be true. People will discount these studies and believe the sugar industry's propaganda, while all the time still becoming obese and dying from Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, etc.

The sugar lobby which was powerful enough to prevent the launch of diet Coke and Pepsi for several years in the late 80s to early 90s is still incredibly strong. The obsession with sugar in everything down to even noodles started sometime in the 50s when low cost mass production refineries became available turning sugar from a luxury product to a cheap source of addictive short term gratification. The Sino-Thai sugar barons were allowed to sink their hooks into the country making the population slaves to their sickly poison while they enjoy their mansions and luxurious life styles and have access to good education and dietary knowledge.

Now a crackdown on obesity in the general population following the unsuccessful crackdown on police obesity.