A therapist massages a worker suffering from “office syndrome” in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)
A new study highlights that Thais need to exercise more to ensure their health, with 76% spending seven hours or more sitting each day, said Suwanchai Watanaincharoenchai, director general of the Department of Health. said.
Dr Suwanchai said the study was jointly conducted in 2021 by the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Health and the Office of the International Health Policy Program (IHPP). The report has been completed.
The study considered health information collected from 78,717 people in 77 states.
The report concludes that Thai people are mostly sedentary, with 76% of them sitting for more than seven hours each day. However, about 72% had about 150 minutes or more of physical activity per week. This is plenty of time, according to World Health Organization standards.
One of the reasons Thais have become less active is that working conditions have changed and labor has moved from the agricultural or industrial sectors to offices. A lower energy burning rate increased the risk of premature death or illness from non-communicable diseases.
The study found that Thais were exercising and engaging in recreational activities to offset their sedentary office lifestyles, but not all. People in urban areas were able to spend more time in physical activity than those in rural areas because of better infrastructure, such as sidewalks and public transportation, and more accessible facilities.
Dr Suwanchai said this was enough to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases.
Dr Rapeepong Supanchaimat, Executive Director of the IHPP, said the study also found that women were more physically active than men.
