Thai children shorter than Singaporean and Japanese peers

Thai Children Shorter Than Singaporean and Japanese Peers, Health Officials Warn BANGKOK — Thai children continue to record lower average heights than their counterparts in Singapore and Japan, increasing long-term risks of low muscle mass and osteoporosis, the Department of Health stated on 29 May 2026. The warning followed release of national growth monitoring data showing persistent shortfalls linked to inadequate milk intake across age groups. Dr. Ampaiphan Benjapolpitak, director-general of the Department of Health, said the findings reflect patterns observed in annual school health surveys conducted by the ministry. “Average heights for Thai boys aged 10 to 14 remain approximately 4 to 6 centimetres below those reported in Singapore and Japan,” Dr. Ampaiphan stated in the department’s Friday briefing. “Low calcium intake from milk and dairy products is a primary contributing factor we can address through sustained public health measures.” **The Findings** Department of Health data compiled from 2025 screenings of more than 1.2 million students nationwide indicate that 18 per cent of primary-school children fall below the 25th percentile on WHO child growth standards for height-for-age. Comparative figures published by Singapore’s Health Promotion Board and Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare show corresponding rates below 8 per cent. Milk consumption statistics released alongside the height data reveal that only 32 per cent of Thai children aged 6–12 drink milk daily, compared with 71 per cent in Singapore and 68 per cent in Japan. Among adolescents aged 13–18, daily intake drops further to 19 per cent. The department attributes part of the disparity to limited availability of affordable fortified milk in rural provinces and cultural preferences for sweetened beverages over plain dairy. **Background** Thailand has tracked secular increases in average adult height since the 1980s, coinciding with national economic growth and expanded school feeding programmes. However, gains have plateaued in the past decade. The National Economic and Social Development Council’s 2023 nutrition survey had already flagged calcium intake averaging 380 mg per day among school-age children, well below the 1,000 mg recommended by the Thai Recommended Daily Intake guidelines. Similar monitoring in Singapore relies on mandatory school milk programmes subsidised by the government since 2008, while Japan maintains a long-standing school lunch system that includes 200 ml of milk per student daily. Both countries report higher average adult heights: 172 cm for Singaporean men and 171 cm for Japanese men, versus 169 cm for Thai men according to the most recent Global Burden of Disease anthropometric estimates. Lactose intolerance, estimated to affect 70–80 per cent of the Thai adult population, further complicates dairy promotion. The Department of Health has therefore emphasised lactose-free and calcium-fortified alternatives in its messaging. **Response** In response to the new data, the Department of Health will expand its “Milk for Growth” campaign, first launched in 2022, to an additional 4,500 primary schools in 15 provinces by the end of 2026. The programme supplies one 200 ml carton of fortified milk three times weekly and includes classroom lessons on bone health. Dr. Ampaiphan confirmed that the ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of Education and the Thai Dairy Industry Association to stabilise prices and improve distribution logistics. “We are also working with local health volunteers to reach families in remote areas where fresh milk supply chains remain weak,” she said. The ministry has requested additional budget allocation in the 2027 fiscal year to support nutrition counselling for parents and to monitor height and weight trends through the existing digital school-health platform. **Implications** Sustained shortfalls in linear growth during childhood correlate with reduced peak bone mass and higher lifetime fracture risk, according to studies cited by the department from the Thai Osteoporosis Foundation. Public health experts note that interventions focused on the first 1,000 days of life and continued through adolescence remain the most effective window for improving outcomes. The Department of Health plans to publish updated provincial-level height and dietary intake dashboards every six months. Further updates will be provided as the investigation into consumption barriers progresses and programme coverage expands. This is Ann Srisawat for Global1 News, reporting from Bangkok. 🇹🇭

This is Ann Srisawat for Global1 News, reporting from Bangkok. 🇹🇭