Thread: Health Ministry launches campaign to reduce sugar consumption among Thais

The Ministry of Public Health has sought cooperation from sugar producers to reduce the size of sugar packs from six grammes to four grammes per pack in a bid to reduce sugar consumption among Thais, said Public Health Minister Dr Piyasakol Sakolsattayathorn on Tuesday.

Thai people consume an average of 30 kilogrammes of sugar per head per year or more than 20 teaspoons a day which is three times higher than the amount recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Dr Piyasakol said that over-consumption of sugar has contributed to non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases.

The Public Health Ministry has found it necessary to instill a new value among Thais by encouraging them to consume less sugar. Apart from seeking cooperation from sugar producers to reduce the size of sugar packs to just four grammes, he said hotels would also be asked to supply 4-gramme sugar packs to their conference rooms, said the minister.

The aim of this campaign is to reduce sugar consumption among Thais to no more than 24 grammes per head per day.

Health Department chief Dr Pornthep Siriwanarangsan said the department and its networks have introduced a health food programme during meetings staged by the department and its networks during which fruits and sugar-free sweets and 4-gramme sugar packs will be served during breaks.

Café Amazon coffee outlet at the Health Department will be the first that joined the campaign to reduce sugar consumption.

Health Ministry launches campaign to reduce sugar consumption among Thais - Thai PBS English News

20 teaspoons a day! This figure could seem impressive, but it's roughly the amount of sugar contained by 2 regular thai coffees ...

Reduce the size of sugar packs is ok but they should also reduce the sugar percentage of all soft drinks (I feel they are sweeter here than in Europe at least)

Originally Posted by Farang Ky Ay

20 teaspoons a day! This figure could seem impressive, but it's roughly the amount of sugar contained by 2 regular thai coffees ...

Reduce the size of sugar packs is ok but they should also reduce the sugar percentage of all soft drinks (I feel they are sweeter here than in Europe at least)

Ever watch them make those things, or the so called Thai ice tea? They actually fill the cup up damn near half way with sugar before putting in the tea/coffee, milk and ice.
At least Thais eat cane sugar mostly and not that Fructose crap we get at home, which is far worse.

reduce the size of sugar packs from six grammes to four grammes per pack

4g sachets instead of 6g sachets? So now I need 3 sachets in my coffee instead of 2.

And will they ban sugar that is not in sachets? Of course not. So Thais will ladle sugar into their noodle soup the same as before.

Meanwhile, soft drinks will contain the same amount of sugar as before and Thais will drink it as much as before.

There getting fat bstards because of the western fast foods, the sugar content in the west is far higher than Thais.

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

There getting fat bstards because of the western fast foods, the sugar content in the west is far higher than Thais.

Certainly applies to the current generation and about a third of the last generation...

No more sticky rie then ?

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

No more sticky rie then ?

Unless one dips it in sugar.

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

There getting fat bstards because of the western fast foods, the sugar content in the west is far higher than Thais.

Easy to lay the blame at Western fast foods, but a lot of Thais only go to the shopping mall once a week.
All Thai processed food is loaded up with sugar and sodium, the Health Ministry should be talking to these producers, not the sugar merchants. Diabetes is off the charts here, I know this because my staff at work all go for annual medicals and the results are all high blood sugars and type 2 Diabetes even at relatively young ages.

Tip: buy shares in local insulin producing companies.

Originally Posted by kmart

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

There getting fat bstards because of the western fast foods, the sugar content in the west is far higher than Thais.

Easy to lay the blame at Western fast foods, but a lot of Thais only go to the shopping mall once a week.
All Thai processed food is loaded up with sugar and sodium, the Health Ministry should be talking to these producers, not the sugar merchants. Diabetes is off the charts here, I know this because my staff at work all go for annual medicals and the results are all high blood sugars and type 2 Diabetes even at relatively young ages.

Tip: buy shares in local insulin producing companies.

The figure I heard a while ago was 10% of the population here is now diabetic.

Everything is f*cking sweet. The breads are sweet, the pastry on pies etc is nauseatingly sweet. I love curry puffs in Malaysia and Singapore, here cannot stand them because of the sweet pastry. They ladle it on noodles, in soups and on farking everything.

Its the west that introduced processed foods, I myself don't see many Thais eating processed foods,thought he fast food outlets are packed with Thais eating the shite.

You may also like to look at MSG and the Thai diet of using mass use of it in there diet.

^MSG is used in a lot of Asian (Japanese, Chinese, etc) cooking. Brands here are Ajinomoto; Knorrs; etc. It's just another version of sodium (monosodium glutamate) that is prevalent in most all processed foods.
The difference is that consumers in other countries are a bit more savvy and discerning than your average slack-jawed bovine shopper here, hence local food companies get away with literally murder.

maybe a campaign to promote using honey while cooking as a sweetener

just saying no to sugar without looking at alternatives will have no impact

I think that there is more sugar in the fanta,... in Thailand also.

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

There getting fat bstards because of the western fast foods

I don't think so. I live in a village 30 km away from the nearest KFC and rarely do they visit, but many are still obese.

huh must probably can't afford ferking food and only eat rice malnutrition.

so how come your a fat bstard.?

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

There getting fat bstards because of the western fast foods

I don't think so. I live in a village 30 km away from the nearest KFC and rarely do they visit, but many are still obese.

I know many from remote villages (No western diet) that have problems with diabetes. It may be a problem with diet that includes sticky rice and banana rather than simply adopting Western food.

I have known many type 2 diabetes sufferers in their 30's, 40,s and beyond since I have been coming here (1998) . Only a few could be considered obese and many have died from kidney failure or other complications.

I would not jump to the conclusion of introducing western diet quite so quickly.