I found the reason why most Thais are thin

[SICHONSTEVE]

You'll find that in Thailand, the higher the pollution level of a province, the higher the average weight is. Thai people are thinner because they eat less and move more.

Move more ??

Physical work, walking, getting more exercise.

What!!

You mean the 3 things that they absolutely refuse to do and DON"T do!!!

You have got your facts and logic twisted my friend.

[aussiebebe]

I see more overweight Thais around these days but I don't think the thin ones are healthy - they are what you might call 'skinny-fat'. This means they are thin because they have very little muscle (due to sedentary lifestyles).
As for the overweight Thais I think they are 'over-fed and undernourished' meaning that they choose junk food over healthy choices. In terms of food choices I think the worst offenders are actually Thai dishes, not western options such as fast-food.
For example, KFC may be deep fried but at least it's actual chicken (okay plus hormones) - Thai snacks are just 100% mechanically seperated 'meat' (skin, nerves, organs) - so no real nutrients to which street vendors add copious amounts of MSG, sugar and salt. The thai-style super-sweet drinks have more sugar than Pepsi.

[hellodolly]

I think in has to do more with diet and eating habits, most Thais do not eat A great big beef steak, they prefer to eat bits of pork/chicken mixed with vegetables, very heavy on fresh water fish and sea food.

Thai's are thin in relations to many western countries, but the diet choices are changing for Thai youth that crave the western style fast food diet that is extremely fattening and walk around drinking coke or pepsi most of the time.

The move away from their parents diet and eating habits will result with a much fatter Thai population in the future.

Cheers: alt=wai2.gif width=20 height=20> .

I was wondering how soon the fast food bashers would show up.

Yesterday I was in the store with the granddaughters and offered them a pop one took Big C sugar loaded and the other took Pepsi Max no sugar.

Also I myself walk quite a bit and don't really see to many people adult or children walking around drinking any kind of pop.

They move away from their parents eating habits because the western culture is intruding on their parents culture and making them more materialistic and there fore more money to buy what their parents couldn't. Thank you western culture for saving the youth of Thailand.

One word - Swensen

KFC amd McD are changing that rapidly.

Would you care to tell me how many of these outlets there are in a country of 66,000,000 people? I don't think you would as it would make your statement look ridicules.

Dunno where you (OP) are staying for the air to be bad in March, but why avoid Thailand just because it is polluted where you are staying? There are plenty of places in Thailand with excellent air quality in March - and the rest of the year for that matter.

Some people are just plain clueless.

I like the posters who live in Pattaya and understand all the 66,000,000 Thais from what they have observed there. We had one poster claim he knew all about them from observing them in a 7 11 on the walking street.

Edited October 24, 2013 by hellodolly

[MJP]

So how come my 5 foot 6 inch ex-missus now weighs 100 kilogrammes?

Seriously.

Seriously, my ex is the same, didn't see her for three years, and when I did, I didn't recognise her.

As I said to my first wife (English) "no darling, it isn't water retention, it's cake retention"

I like 'em big. Big!

[Torrens54]

So how come my 5 foot 6 inch ex-missus now weighs 100 kilogrammes?

Seriously.

Seriously, my ex is the same, didn't see her for three years, and when I did, I didn't recognise her.

As I said to my first wife (English) "no darling, it isn't water retention, it's cake retention"

Same with my Australian Ex-wife....Cake Retention, Lounge Retention, just too lazy to get off her fat backside.

Can happily say that after being married FOR YEARS to my wife in Thailand, my only complaint is that she works too hard, won't allow the maid to clean the bathrooms, wash the clothes etc., as she (my wife) is a perfectionist.

She was the same when we lived in Australia for a number of years and we didn't have a maid there. The ex-wife still has a cleaning lady a couple of times a week but never "lifts a finger" to help herself.

Oh yes, my Thai Wife has the body of a teenager and the face of a Superstar.

[MJP]

So how come my 5 foot 6 inch ex-missus now weighs 100 kilogrammes?

Seriously.

Seriously, my ex is the same, didn't see her for three years, and when I did, I didn't recognise her.

As I said to my first wife (English) "no darling, it isn't water retention, it's cake retention"

Same with my Australian Ex-wife....Cake Retention, Lounge Retention, just too lazy to get off her fat backside.

Can happily say that after being married FOR YEARS to my wife in Thailand, my only complaint is that she works too hard, won't allow the maid to clean the bathrooms, wash the clothes etc., as she (my wife) is a perfectionist.

She was the same when we lived in Australia for a number of years and we didn't have a maid there. The ex-wife still has a cleaning lady a couple of times a week but never "lifts a finger" to help herself.

Oh yes, my Thai Wife has the body of a teenager and the face of a Superstar.

[Chiangmaijoseph]

I think you will find theres a combiantion of factors including.......

Social pressure

Spicy food

Genuine malnourishment

Tapeworm infestation

This is a lot of nonsense. Talk to a doctor and they will make you even a more advanced member.

[ChrisB87]

"Would you care to tell me how many of these outlets there are in a country of 66,000,000 people? I don't think you wouyld as it would make your statement look ridicules."

Well, Thailand is the second most obese nation in ASEAN (32% of population) after Malaysia (44%), if statistics are to be believed. They also have many more McDonalds outlets that most other ASEAN members.

Vietnam apparently doesn't have McDonalds yet (the first one is due to open next year) and they have the least obesity (only 10%)

May have some correlation. I mean, who would have thought, people could get fat from eating junk food.

[HUAHIN62]

Damn then the Europeans must be paper thin as a recent WHO study showed that more than 90% of Europeans living in urban areas are exposed to very high levels of air pollution. You don't need to have smoke hanging in the air for it to be polluted.

[FM505]

You'll find that in Thailand, the higher the pollution level of a province, the higher the average weight is. Thai people are thinner because they eat less and move more.

Move more ??

Not sitting on their collective fat arse... clear enough?

[hellodolly]

So how come my 5 foot 6 inch ex-missus now weighs 100 kilogrammes?

Seriously.

Seriously, my ex is the same, didn't see her for three years, and when I did, I didn't recognise her.

As I said to my first wife (English) "no darling, it isn't water retention, it's cake retention"

Same with my Australian Ex-wife....Cake Retention, Lounge Retention, just too lazy to get off her fat backside.

Can happily say that after being married FOR YEARS to my wife in Thailand, my only complaint is that she works too hard, won't allow the maid to clean the bathrooms, wash the clothes etc., as she (my wife) is a perfectionist.

She was the same when we lived in Australia for a number of years and we didn't have a maid there. The ex-wife still has a cleaning lady a couple of times a week but never "lifts a finger" to help herself.

Oh yes, my Thai Wife has the body of a teenager and the face of a Superstar.

Well my wife dosen't have the body of a superstar or the face of a teenager but she does all the cleaning herself and is not overweight she was a few years ago. You might say a little plump but works on keeping her weight down and has been very successful at it. We live with in walking distance of a McDonald's a burger King and a subway and with the exception of about once a month the wings from Burger King and the occasional rice and chicken from McDonald's of which I get most of the chicken avoids all three.

The main problem is she keeps mentioning my weight to me. If only I could develop a taste for rice two or three times a day. With a bowl of Udon Soup what ever that is thrown in. She gets it of a street cart.

[A1Str8]

Because the average thai works hard but doesn't have enough money to eat properly.

[bangon04]

What about dairy? In the provinces there is a lot less dairy - milk cheese yoghurt etc in the diet.

Vitamin D (plenty of sunshine) but not a huge amount of calcium intake to build larger bones.

The Philippinos are even smaller on average than the Thais yet have more exposure to junk food. The mainland Chinese seem to be taller/larger on average than the HongKongers, yet have less exposure to dairy products.

Rice is the main factor for restricted nutrition?.

[craigt3365]

An off topic post and associated replies have been removed from view. Please stay on topic.

[hellodolly]

"Would you care to tell me how many of these outlets there are in a country of 66,000,000 people? I don't think you wouyld as it would make your statement look ridicules."

Well, Thailand is the second most obese nation in ASEAN (32% of population) after Malaysia (44%), if statistics are to be believed. They also have many more McDonalds outlets that most other ASEAN members.

Vietnam apparently doesn't have McDonalds yet (the first one is due to open next year) and they have the least obesity (only 10%)

May have some correlation. I mean, who would have thought, people could get fat from eating junk food.

You could have just said I don't know.

Statistics is a five year collage course you can use them to say anything you want. Now facts that would be a better base to work from.

for instance you say they have more McDonald's than most other ASEAN members. In other words they don't have the most and they are second in obesity.

I repeat can any one tell me how many of these fast food outlets there are in a nation of 66,000,000 people.

If there are statistics they will be derived from numbers so it is a known number.

I am not a nutrisionest and would love to find one here in Chiuang Mai but I don't think white rice is supposed to be a slimming food. Yet look at the amount the Thais eat.

[sirchai]

What a pile of s...........30% of our 3,200 primary students are too fat. And that's in the lower north east.-

[SICHONSTEVE]

"Would you care to tell me how many of these outlets there are in a country of 66,000,000 people? I don't think you wouyld as it would make your statement look ridicules."

Well, Thailand is the second most obese nation in ASEAN (32% of population) after Malaysia (44%), if statistics are to be believed. They also have many more McDonalds outlets that most other ASEAN members.

Vietnam apparently doesn't have McDonalds yet (the first one is due to open next year) and they have the least obesity (only 10%)

May have some correlation. I mean, who would have thought, people could get fat from eating junk food.

You could have just said I don't know.

Statistics is a five year collage course you can use them to say anything you want. Now facts that would be a better base to work from.

for instance you say they have more McDonald's than most other ASEAN members. In other words they don't have the most and they are second in obesity.

I repeat can any one tell me how many of these fast food outlets there are in a nation of 66,000,000 people.

If there are statistics they will be derived from numbers so it is a known number.

I am not a nutrisionest and would love to find one here in Chiuang Mai but I don't think white rice is supposed to be a slimming food. Yet look at the amount the Thais eat.

I am glad (and can see) that you are not a nutritionist as you cannot spell it.

Also, because Thai's eat so much white rice this is one partial cause of obesity in Thailand as it is pure carbohydrate that turns to sugar and then fat. The most obvious causes though are that they eat too much fast food, deep fried foods fried in 'bad oils' and make such poor choices in what they drink.

What you say about statistics is pure bunkum and if you go on a collage course you won't study statistics.

I don't think that you have got ANYTHING right here so probably not one of your best posts!!!

[AYJAYDEE]

What a pile of s...........30% of our 3,200 primary students are too fat. And that's in the lower north east.-

please provide the actual definition of "too fat" and then publish the survey.

[zydeco]

No, it's not due to air pollution. It's because most Thais are poor, and can't afford to eat sirloin steak every night.

Go hang out in the wealthy sub-divisions, and you'll see no shortage of chunkies wandering around.

]

It's not the steak but the carbohydrate laden rice, pasta, snack food, and bread that contributes to obesity. Generally, it is the more impoverished neighborhoods that experience obesity because cheap food = fatty food.

[wileycoyote]

Yes It is Western Food

[harrismac]

You'll find that in Thailand, the higher the pollution level of a province, the higher the average weight is. Thai people are thinner because they eat less and move more.

Move more ??

move around like walk, run, jog, do physical things. English isn't your first language is it? Or you're European or something other than Americab? I find non-Americans speak an English that is harder to understand than average U.S. citizens/natives.

[SICHONSTEVE]

No, it's not due to air pollution. It's because most Thais are poor, and can't afford to eat sirloin steak every night.

Go hang out in the wealthy sub-divisions, and you'll see no shortage of chunkies wandering around.

]

It's not the steak but the carbohydrate laden rice, pasta, snack food, and bread that contributes to obesity. Generally, it is the more impoverished neighborhoods that experience obesity because cheap food = fatty food.

poor food choices (whatever the reason) = fattening food, is more like it.

[AYJAYDEE]

You'll find that in Thailand, the higher the pollution level of a province, the higher the average weight is. Thai people are thinner because they eat less and move more.

Move more ??

?

move around like walk, run, jog, do physical things. English isn't your first language is it? Or you're European or something other than Americab? I find non-Americans speak an English that is harder to understand than average U.S. citizens/natives.

by who??

[SICHONSTEVE]

You'll find that in Thailand, the higher the pollution level of a province, the higher the average weight is. Thai people are thinner because they eat less and move more.

Move more ??

?

move around like walk, run, jog, do physical things. English isn't your first language is it? Or you're European or something other than Americab? I find non-Americans speak an English that is harder to understand than average U.S. citizens/natives.

by who??

'move more' couldn't be more English English - you Americans just live in a different world to the rest of the globe and should get out more!!

[jaffacakes1]

Who do you think the intended consumers are for the major busts you read about every other day? Certainly not tourists.

Cheaper to have a smoke or pop a pill, work harder and not eat anything for days.This is not the answer but an obvious contributing factor for those ladies employed with certain vocations.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[MrBrad]

"Would you care to tell me how many of these outlets there are in a country of 66,000,000 people? I don't think you wouyld as it would make your statement look ridicules."

Well, Thailand is the second most obese nation in ASEAN (32% of population) after Malaysia (44%), if statistics are to be believed. They also have many more McDonalds outlets that most other ASEAN members.

Vietnam apparently doesn't have McDonalds yet (the first one is due to open next year) and they have the least obesity (only 10%)

May have some correlation. I mean, who would have thought, people could get fat from eating junk food.

[bangkokstick]

No, they are not thin and in case you still dream, their food is not healthy.

Stay here longer and you will know more <3

[SICHONSTEVE]

No, they are not thin and in case you still dream, their food is not healthy.

Stay here longer and you will know more <3

Totally agree!!! However, if you compare it to the American diet it is positively healthy!!!

[Jingthing]

"Would you care to tell me how many of these outlets there are in a country of 66,000,000 people? I don't think you wouyld as it would make your statement look ridicules."

Well, Thailand is the second most obese nation in ASEAN (32% of population) after Malaysia (44%), if statistics are to be believed. They also have many more McDonalds outlets that most other ASEAN members.

Vietnam apparently doesn't have McDonalds yet (the first one is due to open next year) and they have the least obesity (only 10%)

May have some correlation. I mean, who would have thought, people could get fat from eating junk food.

I do NOT believe 32 percent of Thais are OBESE.

No way.

Obesity is a specific clinical term.

It is not the same thing as OVERWEIGHT (which is above "ideal weight" according to rough insurance charts but not so heavy as to be clinically obese).

The USA is approximately 1/3 obese, 1/3 overweight (meaning a good portion of those aren't fat to a degree that is a major health risk, in fact some "overweight" is very helpful in combating some life stresses and diseases), and 1/3 "normal" weight or underweight (which has specific health risks in itself).

So in conclusion Thailand 32 percent obese, about the same as the USA -- got to be very wrong.

Obesity (and overweight) is an increasing trend in Thailand of course but they've got a way to get to Mexican levels (the most obese large population nation in the world now).

This is a common mistake, calling all people the slightest bit "overweight" obese but it is simply not the case.

I reckon most all of us who have been living in Thailand a long time have noticed that Thai youth is indeed getting fatter and fatter. This is a SERIOUS health concern, as obese children for most part are destined to be obese adults, so they have acquired a very unfortunate lifetime health problem that with current medical therapies is extremely difficult to reverse long term. (Contrary to popular belief, simple "will power" is massively ineffective as a long term solution.) The Thai government really should focus hard on preventing CHILDHOOD obesity here. I have no confidence they will do any such thing though.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Jingthing

[MrBrad]

As for the masks protecting the pregnant women--or anyone else for that matter, those cheap, off-the-shelf masks are of minimal value (if that) in filtering out pollutants. They work fine keeping mosquitoes out of your mouth, but only look silly on people thinking the masks are filtering pollution. Actually, a dirty, clogged mask will inhibit breathing, which could result in other problems (pulmonary edema) especially if the mask fits tightly. And, of course, the mask ought to form a seal against the wearer's face so that airflow is limited to the filter intake.

Pollution in an urban traffic setting, consists of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide (and various other sulfur compounds), nitric/nitrous oxide (and various other nitrogen compounds), and soot (which contains a significant amount of unburned hydrocarbons). (Lead used to be a significant component of exhaust, but is no longer, with unleaded gasoline.) Of these, only the soot is really "visible", while the sulfur and nitrogen compounds can contribute to "yellow haze".

One of the better reasons for wearing a cheap mask--even a handkerchief--would be if one was sick, or perhaps worked in food service, and wanted to take precautions against sneezing onto others or into their food. Yummy.

A simple filter mask will remove only the soot (if that). You need a mask containing at least a reasonable layer of activated charcoal (ie, a canister) to remove much of the others. The masks I see advertised just have a thin layer of "activated charcoal cloth" or some such, not enough to make a noticeable difference.