According to the Ministry of Public Health, the number of obese children in Thailand has increased as of February this year. Around 13% of children aged between six and 14 fall victim to obesity while an estimated 13% of adolescents aged 15 to 18 suffer from the disease. Meanwhile, the percentage of obese children has risen from 4-5% to 9-10% for those below the age of five.
In a recent forum titled “The Impact Of Food And Beverage Marketing Strategies On Children’s Behaviour” organised by the Institute for Population and Social Research at Mahidol University, Jagkrapan Janchatree, an adolescent development officer at Unicef Thailand, said the obesity rate in Thailand has rapidly increased in both urban and rural areas, affecting people of all social status.
“A study indicated that the obesity rate among children aged six to 14 was 5% in 2009, but 14% in 2016. People…
