A new study highlights the need for Thais to exercise more to ensure good health, with 76% spending seven hours or more sitting down each day.
The Health Department said the study considered health information gathered from 78,717 people in 77 provinces.
The report found that Thai people had become largely sedentary, with 76% of them sitting down for seven hours or more every day. However, about 72% spent about 150 minutes or more per week on physical activities - a sufficient amount of time according to the World Health Organisation standard.
One reason Thais had become less active was the change in working conditions, with the workforce moving from the agricultural or industrial sector to being in an office. The risk of early death had increased because of their low rate of burning energy.
The study found that some Thais did exercise or engage in recreational activities. People in urban areas were able to spend more time on physical activities than those in rural areas.
The study also revealed that more women did more physical activity than men.
