A large proportion of Thai people surveyed in a recent Public Health Ministry study are "rich in illnesses" due to infrequent exercise, insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables, and bad eating habits.
More than four million Thai people over 35 years of age have nongenetic diabetes and another four million have high blood pressure. Another 635,850 are known to have both diabetes and high blood pressure. "This could result in them having shorter lives," said permanent secretary Dr Phaijit Warachit, at a sporting event hosted by the ministry yesterday.
Citing other details, he said 55 million Thais older than 11 years were not regular exercisers. Also, out of nine million people who sought hospital treatment since 2007 - six million were found not to take exercise regularly.
According to another study conducted last year, 90 per cent of people older than 6 years eat fatty food, half of them consuming snacks, especially kids between six and 14 years. Fourteen per cent eat fast food and another 31 per cent, mainly those aged 2529 years, down carbonated drinks
Phaijit called on people to exercise 30 minutes each day, and three days each week, to eat less salt, sugar and fat, while eating more fruit and vegetables and natural hifibre foods.
The socalled "beauty drinks" made of synthetic hifibre foods are no good for health in the long run, because they can result in fat accumulating in blood vessels, despite the body weight being normal, he said.