Dietary Behaviors and Nutritional Status of Adolescents in a Remote Rural Area of Thailand
Wirote Areekul MD*, Nantaporn Viravathana PhD**, Pote Aimpun MD, DrPH*, Khanin Watthanakijthavongkul***, Jakkrapong Khruacharooen***, Abhinant Awaiwanont***, Chaowanan Khumtuikhrua***, Pichayen Silsrikul***, Pawarid Nilrat***, Saksit Saksoong***, Jirawat Watthanatham***, Picha Suwannahitatorn***, Pornsirin Sirimaneethum***, Natee Meeprom***, Wuttiwong Somboonruangsri, MD*, Koonphol Pongmanee, MSc****, Ram Rangsin MD, DrPH*
Affiliation : * Department of Military and Community Medicine, ** Department of Biochemistry, *** 4th Year Medical Cadets, Class 26, **** Office of Research Development, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok 10400 Thailand
Introduction: Nutritional status among adolescents is an important health indicator. The up-to-date informa-
tion about nutritional status and food consumption pattern in the remote rural area is required for the
effective public health intervention in the rural area of the country. The present study aimed to demonstrate
the prevalence of malnutrition, eating behavior and nutritional knowledge among secondary school students
in a remote rural area in Thailand.
Materials and Methods : Body weight and height data were collected from 298 secondary school students for
nutritional status calculation using the Institute of Nutrition Research, Mahidol University, INMU-Thaigrowth
program. Eating behavior and nutritional knowledge were observed by self-administrated questionnaires.
Results : The prevalence low height-for-age (<-2SD) 6.1% and it was 0.7% for low weight-for -height (<-2SD).
Fruits (69%) and vegetables (79.4%) consumptions were in the high level. The authors found that the students
always consumed commercial snacks especially salted chips more often than regular Thai dessert (74.0% VS
52.3%). The inappropriate behavior found in the present study included always drinking caffeine beverage
(43.5%), always drinking alcoholic beverage (6.5%) and always consuming instant noodles (64.4%).
Conclusion : The prevalence of malnutrition was low among this population. The studied population had a
fair knowledge about nutrition. The authoes found that regular consumption of highly commercialized snack
products especially salted chips and instant noodles were ata high level in this remote rural area of Thailand.
The pattern of nutritional problems in Thailand may have changed in which a public health program for
children in rural areas of the country should recognize this transition.
Keywords : Nutritional status, Adolescents, Dietary behaviors, Rural area, Thailand
