Are Thai People Just As Fat As Westerners Now?

[hotandhumid]

No.

[Jigger]

No.

Very detailed! Top effort!

[WebBangkok]

Lots of fatties here. But worse than that i find that there seems to be very few fit people here.

I am a 62-year-old and I climb 6 flights of stairs each day to get to classrooms where I teach. Conversely, the university-age students will wait for 30 minutes at the one-still-operating elevator so they don't have to climb even 2 or 3 floors. The rest who do take the stairs lag far behind me. If I meet my students on the stairs, who are going to my same class, none of them can keep up with me. It's not because I'm in such good shape, it's because they are in such bad shape! What they call strenuous exercise after class each day is playing badminton for 45 minutes with their boyfriend/girlfriend, not even working up a sweat. And this is the educated populace who should know the benefits of sweat-inducing, cardiovascular exercise!

Badmington is a good workout, I exercise regulatory and played once for a bit of fun, after 30 mins my shirt was drenched in sweat.

yes, regulatory lol ...... ahhhh must be Friday. Nearly beer o'clock

[Card]

I've seen some really fat kids here,

i think as a result of computer gaming, soda, and what else western culture brought

Why do people always blame western culture for what is a problem of Thailand? Have you not seen all the rice and deep fried meat, pig skin and sausage stalls outside schools? Have you ever tasted Thai sweets - almost 100% sugar and starch that they gobble down? Have you not been to internet cafes and gaming halls? Have you not seen all the cars lined up outside schools that the kids are picked up in? Mcdonalds is a small problem compared to these treats. Why is western culture always to blame, or are you becoming like Thais and putting all the blame on foreigners?

[maxme]

I've seen some really fat kids here,

i think as a result of computer gaming, soda, and what else western culture brought

Why do people always blame western culture for what is a problem of Thailand? Have you not seen all the rice and deep fried meat, pig skin and sausage stalls outside schools? Have you ever tasted Thai sweets - almost 100% sugar and starch that they gobble down? Have you not been to internet cafes and gaming halls? Have you not seen all the cars lined up outside schools that the kids are picked up in? Mcdonalds is a small problem compared to these treats. Why is western culture always to blame, or are you becoming like Thais and putting all the blame on foreigners?

Concurr... the blame game is a common thing but seems to be very popular here in Thailand. Only people with low self esteem would blame outside factors than themselves for being overweight.

[mania]

So do you think there is more overweight Thai's today than westerners?

No not even close.

Also interesting the USA probably buys more diet info, exercise equipment...has more gyms, trainers etc.

They are just on a ping-pong binge at any given time.

The USA also has the most expensive urine in the world. Due to the fact that they pop more vitamins

than any other country in the hopes of making up for their poor diet. Most of which gets pee'ed out.

It seems a oxymoron that a rich country like the USA ( figuratively speaking ) has a poor diet yet a

poor country like Thailand actually has a better diet (overall health wise)

Edited August 19, 2012 by mania

[Dap]

I think that the overweight problem is much more pronounced in the west, but "middle class" Thai's are getting the hang of fast food and computer potato rapidly. Won't take very long to catch up to the west, IMO.

Edited August 19, 2012 by Dap

[Dap]

Lots of fatties here. But worse than that i find that there seems to be very few fit people here.

I'm what you might call a leg man and I do like a nice shapely pair of pins. Many of the slim ladies have a wobble to their calves that is from untoned and flabby legs. They just seem to have too little muscle in there. :-(

What you say may be true as I don't know the stats but, I pass two fitnes parks just about every morning and evening and they are consistantly packed with Thai's taking care of themselves.

[Svengoolie]

Try a trip to the US sometime. Never seen so many obese people in my life.

But England wins the Gold Medal.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2100052/Worlds-fattest-man-Keith-Martin-lives-London-58-stone.html

[sprq]

Try the CIA World Factbook -- if you trust the CIA to give you the facts.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/print_2228.html

[sprq]

I've seen some really fat kids here,

i think as a result of computer gaming, soda, and what else western culture brought

Why do people always blame western culture for what is a problem of Thailand? Have you not seen all the rice and deep fried meat, pig skin and sausage stalls outside schools? Have you ever tasted Thai sweets - almost 100% sugar and starch that they gobble down? Have you not been to internet cafes and gaming halls? Have you not seen all the cars lined up outside schools that the kids are picked up in? Mcdonalds is a small problem compared to these treats. Why is western culture always to blame, or are you becoming like Thais and putting all the blame on foreigners?

Thais, like everybody in the world, are increasingly following a Western lifestyle. They way they live, involving less and less exercise and more and more cheap fatty sugary food, derives from Western influence and follows the Western pattern. And that Western pattern derives originally from the USA. So to blame the West and the USA in particular for the increasing obesity of Thais is wholly correct. Of course, people can choose to live healthily, if they know how. It is their responsibility, but the pressures on them to live unhealthily are so great that few of them do.

In all this, corporate capitalism, usually backed by governments, is the major culprit. Particularly in Thailand, where reining in the irresponsible business community is even more difficult than in the West.

[khunPer]

At this BBC-page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18770328?ref=nf

you can check your BMI and compare it to other countries in the World.

Tonga and Samoa are both in the Top 5, USA is actually number 6 only.

Thailand appears a bit under the middle, a bit below the World average, and seems to be under European countries. Closest I can see - quickly looking through the list - are Ireland and Norway, both a little over World average.

[pattayadingo]

Lots of fatties here. But worse than that i find that there seems to be very few fit people here.

I'm what you might call a leg man and I do like a nice shapely pair of pins. Many of the slim ladies have a wobble to their calves that is from untoned and flabby legs. They just seem to have too little muscle in there. :-(

What you say may be true as I don't know the stats but, I pass two fitnes parks just about every morning and evening and they are consistantly packed with Thai's taking care of themselves.

Also get out into the sticks a bit where the greatest majority work hard day after day. That also helps keep them fit and slim.

[Cardiff1963]

Most Thai girls i see are pretty slim. Accompanied by fat western blokes

[NoshowJones]

Obesity statistics. Here are the top ten countries for obesity. You note Thailand doesn't feature. In the statistics I saw, Thailand was not among the 28 countries listed.

Rank Countries Amount

# 1 United States: 30.6%

# 2 Mexico: 24.2%

# 3 United Kingdom: 23%

# 4 Slovakia: 22.4%

# 5 Greece: 21.9%

# 6 Australia: 21.7%

# 7 New Zealand: 20.9%

# 8 Hungary: 18.8%

# 9 Luxembourg: 18.4%

# 10 Czech Republic: 14.8%

Clearly the Tongans and Samoans have been left out!

Oh yes another stat lover... It may not be as in the U.S or the U.K but it is growing but while in BKK the hi-so ones try their best to keep in shape the ones in the south seem to have given up on that project.

In general Thai people don't like to walk and the reason for that is beacuse it's too hot.

So Thai people don't like to walk, maybe so, but if they are so lazy, why do so many of them give up their seats to 5 year olds on the skytrain? Also, why do so many stand when there are lots of seats unoccupied?

[maxme]

Obesity statistics. Here are the top ten countries for obesity. You note Thailand doesn't feature. In the statistics I saw, Thailand was not among the 28 countries listed.

Rank Countries Amount

# 1 United States: 30.6%

# 2 Mexico: 24.2%

# 3 United Kingdom: 23%

# 4 Slovakia: 22.4%

# 5 Greece: 21.9%

# 6 Australia: 21.7%

# 7 New Zealand: 20.9%

# 8 Hungary: 18.8%

# 9 Luxembourg: 18.4%

# 10 Czech Republic: 14.8%

Clearly the Tongans and Samoans have been left out!

Oh yes another stat lover... It may not be as in the U.S or the U.K but it is growing but while in BKK the hi-so ones try their best to keep in shape the ones in the south seem to have given up on that project.

In general Thai people don't like to walk and the reason for that is beacuse it's too hot.

So Thai people don't like to walk, maybe so, but if they are so lazy, why do so many of them give up their seats to 5 year olds on the skytrain? Also, why do so many stand when there are lots of seats unoccupied?

Which country or rather planet are you from.

I have seen Thai men rush to get seats instead of offering them to elder folks, pregnant women and people who are carrying far too much for one person.

Where I come from we are taught to respect elders, pregnant and kids but I take it you didn't know that or you haven't traveled enough to see that.

There are those with manners and there are those who don't understand the concept of manners but what that has to do with obesity is beyond me.

Edited August 19, 2012 by maxme

[JcCarlin]

I've seen other statistics stating germans are the fattest people in the World. Wisconsin had the highest percent of BMI individuals in the world with all the cheese packers from green bay..

[NoshowJones]

Obesity statistics. Here are the top ten countries for obesity. You note Thailand doesn't feature. In the statistics I saw, Thailand was not among the 28 countries listed.

Rank Countries Amount

# 1 United States: 30.6%

# 2 Mexico: 24.2%

# 3 United Kingdom: 23%

# 4 Slovakia: 22.4%

# 5 Greece: 21.9%

# 6 Australia: 21.7%

# 7 New Zealand: 20.9%

# 8 Hungary: 18.8%

# 9 Luxembourg: 18.4%

# 10 Czech Republic: 14.8%

Clearly the Tongans and Samoans have been left out!

Oh yes another stat lover... It may not be as in the U.S or the U.K but it is growing but while in BKK the hi-so ones try their best to keep in shape the ones in the south seem to have given up on that project.

In general Thai people don't like to walk and the reason for that is beacuse it's too hot.

So Thai people don't like to walk, maybe so, but if they are so lazy, why do so many of them give up their seats to 5 year olds on the skytrain? Also, why do so many stand when there are lots of seats unoccupied?

Which country or rather planet are you from.

I have seen Thai men rush to get seats instead of offering them to elder folks, pregnant women and people who are carrying far too much for one person.

Where I come from we are taught to respect elders, pregnant and kids but I take it you didn't know that or you haven't traveled enough to see that.

There are those with manners and there are those who don't understand the concept of manners but what that has to do with obesity is beyond me.

I am only talking about kids here, not elderly folk etc. If any other posters would give up their seats to 5 year olds, please let me know.

[maxme]

@Possum1931

Learn to read the posts you attack. I for one give up for small kids yes even when I have luggage.

Now my turn...where are you from?

Edited August 19, 2012 by maxme

[silsburyhill]

Most Thai girls i see are pretty slim

Wait until they get into their thirties.

.

[MAJIC]

I've seen some really fat kids here,

i think as a result of computer gaming, soda, and what else western culture brought

Why do people always blame western culture for what is a problem of Thailand? Have you not seen all the rice and deep fried meat, pig skin and sausage stalls outside schools? Have you ever tasted Thai sweets - almost 100% sugar and starch that they gobble down? Have you not been to internet cafes and gaming halls? Have you not seen all the cars lined up outside schools that the kids are picked up in? Mcdonalds is a small problem compared to these treats. Why is western culture always to blame, or are you becoming like Thais and putting all the blame on foreigners?

Well western culture didn't teach them to eat tons of salt in their diet,and when its too salty to eat,then liberally stir in some sugar.

Edited August 19, 2012 by MAJIC

[maxme]

Most Thai girls i see are pretty slim

Wait until they get into their thirties.

.

Did someone close to you experience that or?

[JcCarlin]

I've seen some really fat kids here,

i think as a result of computer gaming, soda, and what else western culture brought

Why do people always blame western culture for what is a problem of Thailand? Have you not seen all the rice and deep fried meat, pig skin and sausage stalls outside schools? Have you ever tasted Thai sweets - almost 100% sugar and starch that they gobble down? Have you not been to internet cafes and gaming halls? Have you not seen all the cars lined up outside schools that the kids are picked up in? Mcdonalds is a small problem compared to these treats. Why is western culture always to blame, or are you becoming like Thais and putting all the blame on foreigners?

Well western culture didn't teach them to eat tons of salt in their diet,and when its too salty to eat,then liberally stir in some sugar.

Withdrawn...

Fried foods were a chinese influence. Before Thai people were introduced to the westerners and Chinese they ate mainly dried fish, meats, fresh produce, vegetables. You can actually check statistics of people becoming overweight in Thailand AFTER the introduction of Western Fast Food, Do some research my friends..

[BillyBobThai]

Not yet, but it will not be very long.

Does not this just make you get a boner????????

Edited August 20, 2012 by BillyBobThai

[JSixpack]

In this forum, every topic on the growing problem of obesity and diabetes in Thailand merely turns into an attack on the USA (McDonald's-KFC-Starbucks-TV-computer games) and the West by dizzy leftists, anti-globalists, and little antiamericanistas, many of whom are merely trolling.

Actually the problem at hand lies w/ modern Thai consumption habits that are merely a development of native culinary traditions as Thais have grown wealthier.

Thais, like everybody in the world, are increasingly following a Western lifestyle.

Which lifestyle is that? Angelina Jolie's? Lots of variety in lifestyles there.

Irrelevant.

They way they live, involving less and less exercise and more and more cheap fatty sugary food, derives from Western influence and follows the Western pattern.

No.

And that Western pattern derives originally from the USA. So to blame the West and the USA in particular for the increasing obesity of Thais is wholly correct.

Wrong. Southeast Asians have extracted sugar cane juice for thousands of years. India manufactured cane sugar granules from sugar cane over two thousand years ago. The medieval Islamic world improved production methods. Manufacture spread via Europeans beginning in the 16th century. (Wikipedia) And that enabled willing Thai consumers to do more of what they'd been doing. Excessive consumption of sugar etc, combined w/ consumption of fat in the presence of those refined carbs, purchased from several million Thai outlets--not McDonalds, KFS, Starbucks, etc--is to blame for the present obesity/diabetes problem.

Lack of exercise makes no real difference, as exercise doesn't do a lot towards weight reduction. If a Thai exercises more, he/she'll merely eat more.

Try to remove sugar, rice, noodles, and instant noodles from the diet of a Thai. Try it.

Thais become addicted to refined carbs from childhood. The fatter they get from eating them, the more they want them as insulin resistance sets in.

In all this, corporate capitalism, usually backed by governments, is the major culprit. Particularly in Thailand, where reining in the irresponsible business community is even more difficult than in the West.

Utter nonsense.

In fact large percentages of populations were obese long before McDonald's, KFC, Starbucks, TV, computer games, or disposable diapers existed--and whether they led an active lifestyle or not. In some cases these populations could have used some capitalism to provide consumption choices.

Check out the Pima Indians in 1902 or overweight working class women in Naples, Italy, in 1951--overweight despite the abject poverty after the war and their working hard to survive. In 1960, researchers noted that 40% of Zulu women were obese. In Nauru, South Pacific, a physician observed in 1961 that everyone past puberty was obese. In 1963, in Chile, more than 1/3 of the population was obese, even the active factory workers, and obesity was described as that nation's "main health problem."

In 1981-83 on the Mexican border, two hundred miles south of San Antonio, William Mueller and colleagues from the University of Texas weighed and measured more than eleven hundred local Mexican-American residents. Forty percent of the men in their thirties were obese, although most of them are "employed in agricultural labor and/or work in the oil fields in the country." More than half the women in their fifties were obese. As for the living conditions, Mueller later described them as "very simple .... There was one restaurant [in all of Starr County], a Mexican restaurant, and there was nothing else." --examples from Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes

Thais are getting obese and diabetic for the same reasons as these primitive, relatively isolated, pre-McDonald's cultures as well as modern cultures: overconsumption of sugar and/or (refined) carbs, leading to overproduction of insulin and therefore fat storage.

It's so obvious that anyone can see it.

Edited August 21, 2012 by JSixpack

[maxme]

@JcCarlin

And it's up to everyone to control his/her own weight isn't it?

Back in the west I was surrounded by fast food chains and did I go to any of them... Hardly but that because I have a taste for more decent food than that. If one day I happen to see that I have become extremely puffed, I won't sue the fast food franchises... because nobody forced me to go there.

I wonder if Thai copied exactly every kind of fast food they could find or they invented some of it themselves...Give it up this utter nonsense that west made Thais fatter, they did that to themselves.

[loong]

Thais, on average consume far less than WHO recommendations for fruit and vegetables.

Most overweight Thais here in rural Thailand have probably never set foot inside a McDonalds or KFC, they cannot afford it.

Many parents seem to think that they are being kind when buying their children oily/sugary snacks and ice cream.

Most Thais prefer fatty cuts of meat. This was fine when they could only afford a small amount of meat with their bowl of rice, but now, with bigger portions, they are sticking with similar fat/lean meat ratio.

Thais, in general, are definitely getting fatter, but obese? Not really.

Isaan people's love of Som Tum probably helps

[TheWalkingMan]

I think that Thais have a ways to go before catching up to the west. I think in the US 30% or more people are obese and in some states the percentage is higher. That is a shame.

There is a US television program called "The Weight of the Nation" which talks about obesity in the US and it can be found on youtube.

[JcCarlin]

@JcCarlin

And it's up to everyone to control his/her own weight isn't it?

Back in the west I was surrounded by fast food chains and did I go to any of them... Hardly but that because I have a taste for more decent food than that. If one day I happen to see that I have become extremely puffed, I won't sue the fast food franchises... because nobody forced me to go there.

I wonder if Thai copied exactly every kind of fast food they could find or they invented some of it themselves...Give it up this utter nonsense that west made Thais fatter, they did that to themselves.

I blame it on the Thai's but ELIMINATING temptations certainly would help the Thai's. Having a MCDonalds on every corner of the ghetto with a liquor stor right next to it in New Jersey certainly increased obesity and drinking. Compare Burma and Cambodia and Thailand. Burma and Cambodia have less obese people and NO FAST FOOD CHAINS!

[StreetCowboy]

@JcCarlin

And it's up to everyone to control his/her own weight isn't it?

Back in the west I was surrounded by fast food chains and did I go to any of them... Hardly but that because I have a taste for more decent food than that. If one day I happen to see that I have become extremely puffed, I won't sue the fast food franchises... because nobody forced me to go there.

I wonder if Thai copied exactly every kind of fast food they could find or they invented some of it themselves...Give it up this utter nonsense that west made Thais fatter, they did that to themselves.

I blame it on the Thai's but ELIMINATING temptations certainly would help the Thai's. Having a MCDonalds on every corner of the ghetto with a liquor stor right next to it in New Jersey certainly increased obesity and drinking. Compare Burma and Cambodia and Thailand. Burma and Cambodia have less obese people and NO FAST FOOD CHAINS!

Andthey're dirt poor in comparison to Thailand. Perhaps if we could make Thailand poorer, get rid of the foreign-exchange-earning industry and the good industrial salaries, reduce agricultural productivity, Thais would be thinner. And the tarts would be cheaper, too. Its a win-win situation. Except for the Thais, I suppose.

SC