Bangkok (VNA) – A bill aimed at better protecting children against modern marketing tactics intended to get young people hooked on unhealthy snacks and drinks is now ready to be forwarded to legislators, according to the Thai Ministry of Public Health.
Speaking at a recent final public hearing on the bill, Deputy Director-General of the Health Department Pongpol Vorapani said overconsumption of unhealthy foods is mainly to blame for the high rate of obesity among Thai children, which has more than doubled in the past two decades.
Obesity and other non-communicable diseases are considered a major health threat to young Thais and a leading cause of premature death, Pongpol said, adding that the marketing strategies adopted by the makers of these products are among the main culprits when it comes to influencing youngsters to make poor choices regarding their daily diet.
A research by the Mahidol University’s Institute for Population and Social Research showed that more than 50% of Thai children are exposed to such tactics which raised the target age groups' cravings for these products by about 45%./.
