Thais Who Are Shockingly Skinny -- The Flip Side Of Obesity

[heatherm]

My husband was built like a greyhound when we met. He's put on a bunch of weight since then. He's still skinny by western standards, but everyone he knows noticed the difference. His mother rubs his belly and laughs sometimes.

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[johna]

The only people I've seen who would qualify as "Shockingly Skinny"

where a family of young Burmese migrant workers, they where not makinga fashion statment

[MrHammer]

Most thai women could certainly easily do with 5 kg more on average as long as it went to the butt and hips. I personally prefer women with some junk in the trunk, but not fat. Many Thai girls are a bit on the skinny side for my tastes. Then again, I'm vary of encouraging women to get bigger, as we don't want to end up with 'big and beatiful' propaganda do we?

[robblok]

Most thai women could certainly easily do with 5 kg more on average as long as it went to the butt and hips. I personally prefer women with some junk in the trunk, but not fat. Many Thai girls are a bit on the skinny side for my tastes. Then again, I'm vary of encouraging women to get bigger, as we don't want to end up with 'big and beatiful' propaganda do we?

What angle did you think JT had with this topic.

[ZhouZhou]

Interesting subject.

I asked my local friends that, and the vast majority of my friends here prefer a lady so skinny you see the hip bones and the skinny shoulders.

I have noticed in the gay world, a tendency for foreigners to be attracted to super skinny Thai men. I don't get that at all although I do understand attraction to the fit and/or the not fat. To me, being very thin with bones showing is a sign of sickness even if not sick. I have sympathy for the ill, but not attraction.

is that maybe also age related? if you are younger is easier to hold your weight, getting older often means also gain more weight.

[Jingthing]

is that maybe also age related? if you are younger is easier to hold your weight, getting older often means also gain more weight.

I was talking about body size preferences, not age preferences. Among younger Thai men and women, there is a large range of sizes like in any country.

[ZhouZhou]

is that maybe also age related? if you are younger is easier to hold your weight, getting older often means also gain more weight.

I was talking about body size preferences, not age preferences. Among younger Thai men and women, there is a large range of sizes like in any country.

i think a lot of the young thai folks fits your skinny category. so people who do their selection focused on age and not body figure maybe will end up to a higher percentage with skinny partners if they focus on younger partners.

that is my observation.

Edited March 25, 2013 by ZhouZhou

[Travel2003]

There is an anorexic girl up in Khon Kaen, so this thread is not entirely useless. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23086258

No surprise there.

A country with a population of +65 million surely has lots of anorexic/bulimic cases.

But no way has all the skinny people malnutrition as reason.

Some, of course.

The girlfriends/wifes of many of my friends, diet themselves to become skinny.

This is blessing of course for many guys who wants to become a kateoy, as most of the kateoys don't have much ass/hips.

[Morden]

There very few skinny women out in the sticks. Slim ones are usually on vacation back home from Pattaya. The skinny men are usually 40 degree addicts - just skin and bone.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

There very few skinny women out in the sticks. Slim ones are usually on vacation back home from Pattaya. The skinny men are usually 40 degree addicts - just skin and bone.

what is a 40 degree addict? a euphemism for ?

[Morden]

There very few skinny women out in the sticks. Slim ones are usually on vacation back home from Pattaya. The skinny men are usually 40 degree addicts - just skin and bone.

what is a 40 degree addict? a euphemism for ?

40 Degree is the stong spirit Lao Khao. Nasty stuff. Takes away the appetite. A cheap way to get drunk for outdoor workers and layabouts.

[poanoi]

Well if it takes away appetite it could help in getting off fat,

does it come in beer taste ?

[Morden]

Tastes like paint stripper. Down in one go. Yes, it certainly gets the weight down!

[FunFon]

There very few skinny women out in the sticks. Slim ones are usually on vacation back home from Pattaya.

-

Not my experience at all; in the country areas I frequent, they usually don't start to get at all overweight until they've had a kid or two, which (I would hope) eliminates them from consideration right off the bat for most of us.

Now if you're talking about girls well past their prime then fair enough, plenty of fatties, but I'd say in most rural Isaan villages at least half the kids running around are undernourished by modern standards.

Edited March 25, 2013 by FunFon

[aussiebebe]

I don't like super skinny but slim sure i like that.

I seen some super skinny ones that were fat.. meaning no muscle at all and the legs like jelly.

Yes, that's my experience of Asian women; I find skinny women attractive but most slim Thai women are 'skinny-fat' like you say, they eat high-carb diets, get no exercise and it's not a great look no matter how 'thin' they are. In answer to Jingthing who started this thread, yes I get it, there are some shockingly thin Thais but in my experience it's a matter of age as well.

[farangme]

Wife was at her best, imo, when she was a lean, but toned, 38kg. I go for the waif look. To quote Kate Moss, "nothing tastes like skinny feels." Sadly, the wife is in that married and loves to eat phase now, so the kilos are creeping upwards. What to do?

[GarryP]

While at conscriptions centers on the big day over the past few years, I have noted that many of the young men are really skinny. I am not sure if it is on purpose to avoid being conscripted, as a certain minimum chest size is required to qualify, or just the current in thing. They are all made to remove their shirts, so there is no hiding the fact. When I was a young lad I would have been embarrassed to take of my shirt if I was that skinny.

[FunFon]

Wife was at her best, imo, when she was a lean, but toned, 38kg. I go for the waif look. To quote Kate Moss, "nothing tastes like skinny feels." Sadly, the wife is in that married and loves to eat phase now, so the kilos are creeping upwards. What to do?

-

Perhaps you've been letting her feel too secure, taking your commitment for granted.

Some prefer that type of relationship, but her letting things slide is usually the other side of that coin.

Even if you're 100% sure you're never going to let her go, IMO you should never let her in on that, keep it a secret.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

While at conscriptions centers on the big day over the past few years, I have noted that many of the young men are really skinny. I am not sure if it is on purpose to avoid being conscripted, as a certain minimum chest size is required to qualify, or just the current in thing. They are all made to remove their shirts, so there is no hiding the fact. When I was a young lad I would have been embarrassed to take of my shirt if I was that skinny.

that's an interesting and plausible theory.

Playing devil's advocate for a minute. It's not like Thai conscripts are being sent to their death like in the Iran Iraq war.

Is this because Thai males are severely allergic to hard work or being told what to do?

It seems like a lot of Thai's in the military are fairly happy to have a job etc?

Anyone else weighing in on this theory.

Op or someone should compile a list of likely causes for this extreme skinny condition as offered in the thread.

Here is my list

Meth

Lao Khao

HIV/Hepatitis and other communicable diseases etc

Malnutrition

Social/Sexual social ideals and pressures

[Berkshire]

While at conscriptions centers on the big day over the past few years, I have noted that many of the young men are really skinny. I am not sure if it is on purpose to avoid being conscripted, as a certain minimum chest size is required to qualify, or just the current in thing. They are all made to remove their shirts, so there is no hiding the fact. When I was a young lad I would have been embarrassed to take of my shirt if I was that skinny.

that's an interesting and plausible theory.

Playing devil's advocate for a minute. It's not like Thai conscripts are being sent to their death like in the Iran Iraq war.

Is this because Thai males are severely allergic to hard work or being told what to do?

It seems like a lot of Thai's in the military are fairly happy to have a job etc?

Anyone else weighing in on this theory.

Op or someone should compile a list of likely causes for this extreme skinny condition as offered in the thread.

Here is my list

Meth

Lao Khao

HIV/Hepatitis and other communicable diseases etc

Malnutrition

Social/Sexual social ideals and pressures

Instead of trying to come up with a bunch of negative, off-the-wall reasons, how about trying the most obvious: hereditary. Duh.

[FunFon]

I don't know anyone that would be happy to be forced to serve their country.

And it's not a "job", Thai conscripts don't get paid, family's got to support their expenses while they're in, just like prison and hospitals.

But yes I also don't think they're purposefully stunting their growth in order to avoid the obligation.

IMO the fact that most people can't afford a lot of protein for their kids is the biggest factor across the board.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

While at conscriptions centers on the big day over the past few years, I have noted that many of the young men are really skinny. I am not sure if it is on purpose to avoid being conscripted, as a certain minimum chest size is required to qualify, or just the current in thing. They are all made to remove their shirts, so there is no hiding the fact. When I was a young lad I would have been embarrassed to take of my shirt if I was that skinny.

that's an interesting and plausible theory.

Playing devil's advocate for a minute. It's not like Thai conscripts are being sent to their death like in the Iran Iraq war.

Is this because Thai males are severely allergic to hard work or being told what to do?

It seems like a lot of Thai's in the military are fairly happy to have a job etc?

Anyone else weighing in on this theory.

Op or someone should compile a list of likely causes for this extreme skinny condition as offered in the thread.

Here is my list

Meth

Lao Khao

HIV/Hepatitis and other communicable diseases etc

Malnutrition

Social/Sexual social ideals and pressures

Instead of trying to come up with a bunch of negative, off-the-wall reasons, how about trying the most obvious: hereditary. Duh.

Thats a good point about genetics and I would add that to a list.

But I think your mislabeling the other potential causes as negative. You could have labeled them positive as being correctable.

If you attribute it genetics then what can be done about it?

Edited March 26, 2013 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[GarryP]

I don't know anyone that would be happy to be forced to serve their country.

And it's not a "job", Thai conscripts don't get paid, family's got to support their expenses while they're in, just like prison and hospitals.

But yes I also don't think they're purposefully stunting their growth in order to avoid the obligation.

IMO the fact that most people can't afford a lot of protein for their kids is the biggest factor across the board.

I am sorry, but your second sentence is rubbish. You do get paid, plus free meals. The current salary is 8 or 9k a month. You do not receive all in hand as some is held back for when you finish your term and then is given to you as a lump some. All in all they are getting more than the average factory worker and do not need to pay for meals and board.

Having said that, most young people would rather not serve, and some go to great lengths to avoid doing so including pretending to be transexuals, physically or mentally defective in one way or another, etc. Being exceedingly skinny would work too, but I just do not know whether it is fashion or a true attempt to avoid serving.

FYI, the young men I have seen at the conscription centers were hardly destitute, arriving on their souped up scooters with girlfriends in tow, or escorted by parents driving pickup trucks. But then I have not been to a center out in the sticks.

It should be noted though that while the vast majority will not see trouble spots in the south of Thailand, a few unlucky ones will.

I have also noticed that a disproprtionate number of male vocational school students are also very skinny. The same lot who will be coming up for the conscription lottery.

[FunFon]

Instead of trying to come up with a bunch of negative, off-the-wall reasons, how about trying the most obvious: hereditary. Duh.

-

Within a given population, genetics will certainly be an important factor affecting relative body mass between individuals.

However looking at a given group as a whole, diet is a major influence of change over time. Americans haven't grown that much over the past hundred years, since they already had increased animal protein intakes before that.

However, Japanese, Dutch and Israelis haven't been messing with their DNA over the past few generations, but it's pretty obvious that they are taller heavier and stronger than past generation. Same with the very small segment of Thai's population that has been relatively wealthy over a long period of time.

Increased protein and calcium in the diet of young people are generally considered to be a large factor.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I don't know anyone that would be happy to be forced to serve their country.

And it's not a "job", Thai conscripts don't get paid, family's got to support their expenses while they're in, just like prison and hospitals.

But yes I also don't think they're purposefully stunting their growth in order to avoid the obligation.

IMO the fact that most people can't afford a lot of protein for their kids is the biggest factor across the board.

I am sorry, but your second sentence is rubbish. You do get paid, plus free meals. The current salary is 8 or 9k a month. You do not receive all in hand as some is held back for when you finish your term and then is given to you as a lump some. All in all they are getting more than the average factory worker and do not need to pay for meals and board.

Having said that, most young people would rather not serve, and some go to great lengths to avoid doing so including pretending to be transexuals, physically or mentally defective in one way or another, etc. Being exceedingly skinny would work too, but I just do not know whether it is fashion or a true attempt to avoid serving.

FYI, the young men I have seen at the conscription centers were hardly destitute, arriving on their souped up scooters with girlfriends in tow, or escorted by parents driving pickup trucks. But then I have not been to a center out in the sticks.

It should be noted though that while the vast majority will not see trouble spots in the south of Thailand, a few unlucky ones will.

I have also noticed that a disproprtionate number of male vocational school students are also very skinny. The same lot who will be coming up for the conscription lottery.

Like I said it sounds plausible.

I forgot about the south situation. Thanks for reminding me.

You call 8 to 9k plus meals and housing not a job? You call that rubbish?

It may not be the best job available but I do know a few happy Thai's in the military as it gives them a sense of respect and comraderie and stay in the service long after their obligation.

I am also surprised I know a number of young boys who say when they grow up they want to "Protect Thailand"

[GarryP]

I don't know anyone that would be happy to be forced to serve their country.

And it's not a "job", Thai conscripts don't get paid, family's got to support their expenses while they're in, just like prison and hospitals.

But yes I also don't think they're purposefully stunting their growth in order to avoid the obligation.

IMO the fact that most people can't afford a lot of protein for their kids is the biggest factor across the board.

I am sorry, but your second sentence is rubbish. You do get paid, plus free meals. The current salary is 8 or 9k a month. You do not receive all in hand as some is held back for when you finish your term and then is given to you as a lump some. All in all they are getting more than the average factory worker and do not need to pay for meals and board.

Having said that, most young people would rather not serve, and some go to great lengths to avoid doing so including pretending to be transexuals, physically or mentally defective in one way or another, etc. Being exceedingly skinny would work too, but I just do not know whether it is fashion or a true attempt to avoid serving.

FYI, the young men I have seen at the conscription centers were hardly destitute, arriving on their souped up scooters with girlfriends in tow, or escorted by parents driving pickup trucks. But then I have not been to a center out in the sticks.

It should be noted though that while the vast majority will not see trouble spots in the south of Thailand, a few unlucky ones will.

I have also noticed that a disproprtionate number of male vocational school students are also very skinny. The same lot who will be coming up for the conscription lottery.

Like I said it sounds plausible.

I forgot about the south situation. Thanks for reminding me.

You call 8 to 9k plus meals and housing not a job? You call that rubbish?

It may not be the best job available but I do know a few happy Thai's in the military as it gives them a sense of respect and comraderie and stay in the service long after their obligation.

I am also surprised I know a number of young boys who say when they grow up they want to "Protect Thailand"

My comment about rubbish was in reference FunFon's post claiming they do not get paid. 8k to 9k, full room and board is definitely not to be sniffed at.

[simon43]

Are there Thais in your life who are just too bloody skinny?

My ex weighs between 30-33Kg on a good day - if the wind is strong she might blow away!

Mind you, she is only 145cm in height .... but deadly

[Berkshire]

Instead of trying to come up with a bunch of negative, off-the-wall reasons, how about trying the most obvious: hereditary. Duh.

Thats a good point about genetics and I would add that to a list.

But I think your mislabeling the other potential causes as negative. You could have labeled them positive as being correctable.

If you attribute it genetics then what can be done about it?

Firstly, I don't agree with the premise that there's a large (or even discernible) number of "shockingly skinny" Thais. So there's not even a problem that needs to be addressed necessarily. But in terms of body size, it's clearly genetics first. Then diet and physical activity, as well as health issues and one's own personal choices. Being really skinny doesn't always equate to being unhealthy. It would seem much easier for a skinny person to gain weight, as opposed to an obese person trying to lose weight. Easy for me to say, but I'm not talking about folks who can't afford 3 meals a day.

[Jingthing]

On the street, the super fat are obviously much more visible than the super skinny. Both would tend to not choose to reveal much skin in public. I don't think it's a competition for numbers. Neither condition is desirable or generally healthy. Comparing the U.S. which has a more severe obesity epidemic than the U.K. (but the U.K. is catching up) there is definitely a greater percentage of super skinny people in Thailand than there. Also as has been mentioned, there isn't always any kind of direct relation between poverty and the super skinny. In the west, the poor are very likely to be obese.

Edited March 27, 2013 by Jingthing

[transam]

My mrs boy (17) is 6 feet tall but there is more meat on a Sparrow. Training to be a soldier , he is the laziest kid l have ever known, spends more time horizontal than vertical, so he really should put on a bit of weight. But all he (they) eat is this highly spiced mush, l said to her in doors, he should eat potatoes and bread as well, that mush doesn't stay inside long enough to do anything. He has asked her to buy a pill to put weight on , l told her to get him to go out and cut the grass, wash the truck, do something to get his muscles working, she said l have tried, he just says no (lazy sod).

I have offered to take him to the gym with me, but he would rather lay on the sofa.