Two years ago, the Public Health Ministry changed its guidelines to confirm that the average Thai child was, in fact, getting taller. To mark World Obesity Day on March 4, the Department of Health released a report saying that not only are they taller, but they are also much bigger -- with one in 10 children aged under 15 found to be clinically obese.
The revelation, while hugely significant, shouldn't really come as a surprise. The figure roughly reflects the results of a 2018 study which found about 11.6% of Thais were obese, and over 40% were considered overweight. Thailand came in second, following Malaysia, in obesity rates within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
Obesity is rising at such an alarming rate that a few years ago, the ministry urged the public to stop donating sugary drinks to monks, who were beginning to suffer the consequences of having too many sweet alms. The alarm bells have been ringing for a long time, but those in power, both in the government and at home, are choosing not to heed the warning.
As such, it is time for everyone to have an honest conversation because obesity will place an additional burden on Thailand's fragile healthcare and welfare systems. If left unaddressed, repercussions from the health budget, along with loss of labour proficiency and work hours could eat away 4.8% of GDP by 2060.
Under that scenario, 50 billion baht of the health budget will be used to treat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular problems, kidney disease, and diabetes among the large-waisted population, while productivity loss could be as high as 45,450 baht per capita.
That said, the government should also do its bit to curb the nation's expanding waistlines.
Tackling obesity requires a delicate approach -- more than merely providing aerobic dance exercises in the park. Obesity is a by-product of multiple policy failures -- unhealthy eating habits, poor town planning, farm policies and even school curricula that focus more on academic excellence than physical education.
Town planning, a factor that defines people's lifestyles, plays a bigger role in big cities in Thailand. Consider the example of the average Bangkok resident. Aged about 40 -- the age of the average Thai working adult -- he is likely to work behind a desk in an office, and suffer a daily commute of about an hour.
Bangkok city is not designed for people to walk or use public transport, which is uncomfortable or expensive. With an eight-hour working day, that's 10 hours out of the average Somchai's life spent glued to a chair every day.
Add to that the fact that an increasing number of people have been forced to live off junk food simply because that's all they can afford and it's easier to access. Fresh organic vegetables are harder to find and often sold as premium products.
Many countries, such as Brunei, France, the United Kingdom and many more in the Middle East, where obesity is a big problem, have imposed a tax on sugary drinks, intended to curb their consumption. There is some merit to the method. In the UK, for instance, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy brought in £336m (about 14 billion baht) for the government last year, which was used to fund sports at British schools.
Singapore launched the National Steps Challenge to encourage its residents to get "at least 150 minutes of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity every week".
Participating residents get a smartwatch which calculates how many points a person gets for doing an exercise, with extra points rewarded for those meeting a certain target. The points, in turn, are exchanged for coupons that could be used for sports equipment and/or daily groceries at participating supermarkets.
These examples show tackling the causes of obesity requires a creative strategy. Perhaps, instead of resorting to penalties to discourage certain consumption patterns, the government should look into rewarding those who take up a more active lifestyle.
There are several things governments can do, such as promoting and subsidising healthy and organic foods, developing better pavements, more bicycle lanes and providing good and affordable mass transit networks.
The Ministry of Education must pay attention to providing good physical education classes in schools and needless to say, Thailand and young kids deserve to have more open spaces and sports facilities.
It is worth looking into the possibility of adopting a challenge to fit Thailand's circumstances. If it is well-executed, this would kill several birds with one stone. It would help direct aid to those who need it the most, and it would also make the aid contingent upon the behaviour the government is trying to promote.
