Increasing exposure of children and adolescents to electronic media is a worldwide phenomenon, including in Thailand. To date, few studies examine electronic game play in Thai adolescents. Our research describes the prevalence of electronic game play and examines associations between the time spent engaged in electronic game play and school performance of adolescents in Hat-Yai municipality. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,492 adolescents from four secondary schools and one commercial college from January through March 2007, using questionnaires for collecting information about demographic data, school grades, and electronic game play behaviors. The prevalence of electronic game play was 75% in boys and 59% in girls. Twenty-two percent of boys and 8.7% of girls played electronic games every day with more than 2 hours per session. The two most common places of game play were at game shops (71%), followed by at their own home (70%). Using linear regression analysis, the “low user or less than 2 hours per session” game players and females were less likely to have school grades below 3.00 with adjusted odds ratios of 0.44 (95% CI 0.25–0.80, p = 0.004) and 0.49 (95% CI 0.30–0.76, p = 0.005) respectively. This study finds that excessive playing of electronic games is associated with school grades below 3.00.

Introduction: Adequate nutritional intake of both macronutrients and micronutrients is essential for maintaining good health throughout life, particularly for women of reproductive age (WRA). The Minimum Dietary Diversity for WRA (MDD-W), or the sum of dietary diversity, is recommended as a simple indicator to identify at-risk WRA populations. However, there are no studies on the MDD-W among WRA in Thailand. Objectives: To determine food group diversity, MDD-W, and micronutrient intake of WRA in Southern Thailand. Participants: From December 2020 to November 2021, 120 healthy, young WRA (average age 33.2 ± 4.5 years) were enrolled. Methods: A 24-h food record was used to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the food consumed. Dietary diversity was classified into ten food groups. The macronutrients and 15 micronutrients were calculated using the software program INMUCAL, which is the standard program for calculating nutrients in Thai food. The calculated intake of each micronutrient was transformed to the probability of adequacy (PA). Results: The most common foods consumed were rice, followed by meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables. Fewer than 40% of the participants consumed beans, dairy products, vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables, dark green vegetables, and pulses. The average MDD-W score was 5 (range 2–8). The mean caloric intake (1,865 cal/day) was adequate for non-lactating WRA but was approximately 300 kcal/day lower than the recommendation for lactating WRA. Most WRA consumed lower amounts of micronutrients than those recommended. The mean PA (MPA) of the 15 micronutrients was 0.33 (range 0.0–0.9). Conclusions: Non-pregnant WRA in Songkhla consumed adequate macronutrients but inadequate micronutrients. A nutritional education program regarding the importance of micronutrients should be provided to the public, with special attention to WRA.

Objective: To study the clinical characteristics, demographic data, and associated congenital anomalies of pediatric patients with cleft lip and/or palate in Southern Thailand. Design: Retrospective, hospital-based study. Setting: Cleft Clinic Center, Songklanagarind Hospital Participants: Children with cleft lip and/or palate who were born or seen at Songklanagarind Hospital between January 1997 and December 2006. Main Outcome Measure: Clinical features including demographic data, types of cleft, associated anomalies, family history of clefts, and physical growth. Results: A total of 153 children were seen during the studied period, of whom 36 (23.5%) had isolated cleft lip, 32 (20.9%) had isolated cleft palate, and 85 (55.6%) had combined cleft lip and palate. Twenty-seven children (17.7%) had a family history of clefts. Congenital malformations (syndromic cleft) were found in 20 children (13%), and chromosomal abnormalities were found in four of these (20%). There were no significant differences among the three groups (isolated cleft lip, isolated cleft palate, and combined cleft lip and palate) in maternal and paternal ages, gestational age, birth weight, family history of cleft, or associated malformations. The physical growth parameters of children with nonsyndromic cleft were the same as in the general population. Children with syndromic cleft were significantly lighter at birth and had grown up significantly shorter and lighter, with smaller head circumference. Conclusions: Chromosomal abnormalities are commonly found in children with syndromic cleft. Children with nonsyndromic cleft have normal growth; whereas, those with syndromic cleft have some degree of prenatal and postnatal growth restriction.

To assess the reliability of pubertal self-assessment of Thai adolescents.Some 927 girls and 997 boys, aged 8–18 years, from nine schools in Hat-Yai municipality.The adolescents evaluated their pubertal status after being shown a line drawing of the five Tanner stages with a short description. Girls assessed their breast and pubic hair development, and boys assessed their pubic hair development. The pubertal self-assessments were compared to pubertal assessments made by a pediatrician who examined the children after their self-assessment. Kappa coefficient and percent agreement were used for statistical analysis.The percent agreement of breast and pubic hair development between the girl’s self-assessments and the assessments by the pediatrician were 60.8% and 78%, respectively. Kappa coefficient for breast assessment was 0.50 (95% confidence interval, CI 0.47–0.53) and for pubic hair 0.68 (95% CI 0.65–0.72). Nearly 30% of girls aged younger than 10 years overestimated their breast development status while 45% of girls aged over 14 years underestimated their breast development (p<0.001). For boys, the percent agreement of pubic hair development between the adolescents and the pediatrician was 76.4%, with a weighted kappa coefficient of 0.68 (95% CI 0.65–0.72).Pubertal self-assessment using line drawings with a short description can be used as a reliable method to assess pubic hair maturation in boys and girls, but can be used with less reliability to assess the breast maturation in young girls.

Objective To determine iodine intake and urinary iodine excretion (UIE) in a group of pregnant Thai women and the concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in their neonates. Design A prospective cohort study. Setting Three districts of Songkhla, southern Thailand. Subjects Two hundred and thirty-six pregnant women. Results A quarter of the participants lacked knowledge of iodine and the prevention of iodine deficiency, although 70 % used iodized salt. Those who did not use iodized salt stated that they had no knowledge about iodine (57 %) and no iodized salt was sold in their village (36 %). The median iodine intake in the three districts was 205–240 μg/d, with 53–74 % of pregnant women having iodine intake <250 μg/d. The median UIE in the three districts was 51–106 μg/l, with 24–35 % having UIE < 50 μg/l. The mean neonatal TSH was 2·40 (sd1·56) mU/l, with 8·9 % of neonates having TSH > 5 mU/l. Conclusions The studied women and their fetuses were at risk of mild iodine deficiency. About a quarter of the participants lacked knowledge of the importance of iodine. Education regarding the importance of iodine supplements and the promotion of iodized salt should be added to national health-care policies in order to prevent iodine-deficiency disorders, diseases that are subclinical but have long-term sequelae.

Background: In Thailand, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for youth ages 15–19 years, with 80% of the injuries and deaths from motorcycle accidents. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of child and young adolescent motorcyclists in Hat Yai municipality and their risk behaviors. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2011 and March 2012 in which 2,471 students, ages 8 to 18 years, were recruited from 9 primary and secondary schools in Hat Yai municipality. The questionnaire included questions on being a motorcycle rider or passenger, risky behaviors, and helmet use while riding. Results: Of the total, 1,573 (63.7%) were riders and 898 (36.3%) were pillion passengers. The majority of the riders younger than 15 years rode their motorcycle mainly only in narrow streets for a short trip. Only 30% of the riders wore a helmet every time they rode a motorcycle. About 10% of the participants riding or a passenger on a motorcycle had consumed alcohol at least once before riding their motorcycle. Multiple logistic regression analysis found that motorcycle injuries were significantly associated with speeds greater than 60 km/h, not wearing a helmet while riding, and alcohol consumption before riding (odds ratios 1.63, 1.59, and 3.09, respectively). Conclusion: Nearly two thirds of young adolescents in Hat Yai municipality were motorcycle riders. These young adolescents were at risk of traffic injuries because more than 50% of them had ridden at high speed or not worn a helmet while riding, and some of them had consumed alcohol before riding.