Thread: Bangkok: BMA wants everyone to be lean and mean

BMA wants everyone to be lean and mean | Bangkok Post: news

BMA wants everyone to be lean and mean

A new campaign aims to trim the fat - from you, not the bureaucracy

• Published: 2/06/2012 at 03:21 AM
• Newspaper section: News

The days of the fat cat could soon be over if City Hall has its way. Its "anti-fat" campaign now being launched will mean the end of the cream as people will be encouraged to forgo unhealthy eating habits and live a leaner lifestyle.



Deputy Bangkok governor Malinee Sukawejworakit, who oversees the city's medical and health care services, recently ordered City Hall's Medical Services Department to initiate a "Metropolis of Health" campaign to fight weight and obesity problems in order to prevent or mitigate health problems caused by bad eating habits.

The campaign is being launched in cooperation with the Network of Fatless Bellied Thais, the Royal College of Physicians of Thailand, and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.

Initially it will target four districts - Bang Rak, Ratchathewi, Nong Khaem and Phasicharoen - as a pilot project.

A study has found the four districts are suited to test the effectiveness of the campaign.

Dr Malinee said changes in eating habits, especially in big cities like Bangkok, have taken a toll on people's health.

People tend to indulge themselves in uncontrolled eating sprees while the pace of city life and time constraints force many to rely on fast food and semi-processed or packaged meals.

That leads to excess fat, causing people to become overweight and even obese, raising the spectre of health problems and chronic diseases, Dr Malinee said.

"The project was proposed to improve health conditions and increase city folks' knowledge about nutrition. People should know how to eat properly and what they should consume so they can avoid getting overweight and obese," Dr Malinee said.


People join a tai chi session in Lumpini Park, which is a popular exercise ground for health-conscious city residents. PATIPAT JANTHONG

The project will also educate people on simple ways to build up their immunity through exercising, which stimulates the development of antibodies to fight germs and diseases.

The deputy governor said healthy people lay a strong foundation for the city and staying fit means getting rid of excess body fat. Dr Malinee said a standard for the "Metropolis of Health" will be set to ensure the project delivers results.

The efforts will involve asking eateries and government offices to pay closer attention to the nutritional value of the food sold on their premises.

The campaign targets a wide range of people including schoolchildren, adolescents, workers and the elderly.

The BMA, the Network of Fatless Bellied Thais and the Royal College of Physicians will jointly draw up models for implementing the project.

The models will promote health and wellness in various establishments and organisations such as schools, restaurants, department stores, private businesses, government agencies and city recreational areas.

After the project has been underway for a while, City Hall will select one outstanding area as a role model for the promotion of healthy eating.

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation will set aside funds to launch social marketing activities in the selected areas to raise awareness about health issues related to an unhealthy diet and obesity.

Experts, celebrities and volunteers will also help publicise the campaign, the deputy governor said.

She said unhealthy eating, if left untackled, will hurt people's quality of life and erode productivity. After the pilot districts have successfully adopted the project, the campaign will spread to other districts.

The healthy Bangkok campaign will last four years. City Hall expects every district to have role model areas by the end of the project.

Wannee Nithiyanan, president of the Network of Fatless Bellied Thais, said statistics from 1980 until now showed a sharp increase in the number of obese people around the world, with 1.5 billion people regarded as being overweight.

Dr Wannee said a recent study found 19.3% of male employees and 11.8% of woman staff at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) had excess belly fat and therefore had a higher risk of suffering from heart and cardiovascular diseases.

"People who are fat and have excess belly fat have a higher tendency to suffer from various illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer," Dr Wannee said.

Doctors have also warned obesity could also hurt a person's self-esteem which could have a knock-on effect on his or her psychological well-being.