The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between high in fat, sugar or salt consumption, obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the population in Thailand, and other associated factors. This study used data from participants age 15 years or older from the 2021 Health Behaviour of Population Survey. The final analytical sample included 74 894 respondents with complete data. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics, unhealthy food, NCDs and obesity. People with obesity had the significant ORs for sugar-sweetened beverages or SSB (OR 1.208; 95% CI 1.159 to 1.259), high-fat foods (OR 1.162; 95% CI 1.120 to 1.207) and snacks (OR 1.048; 95% CI 1.004 to 1.093), but had the significant protective ORs for meat products (OR 0.964; 95% CI 0.930 to 0.999), instant food (OR 0.903; 95% CI 0.865 to 0.942) and fast food (OR 0.871; 95% CI 0.831 to 0.913). People with any NCDs had the significant protective ORs for meat products (p≤0.001), instant food (p≤0.05) and fast food (p≤0.01). People with diabetes tended not to drink SSB while people with heart disease tended not to consume SSB and snacks. The findings suggest a need for prevention and control strategies such as promoting healthy snacking behaviour, modifying food environments and paying specific attention to the population most at risk of obesity and NCDs.

To assess the marketing of food on Facebook in relation to Government regulations and the industry’s self-regulatory codes in Thailand, Facebook pages of 30 of the most popular food brands with young people in Thailand and consumer engagement (number of likes, shares, and comments) were recorded and had their marketing content transcribed during the month of December 2017. We coded the contents into 17 marketing techniques and conducted content analysis of these posts in relation to Government regulations and the industry’s self-regulatory codes. A total 752 posts were identified in one month. Retail food brand pages had the highest figures for engagement by Facebook viewers. The most common marketing techniques were the use of pictures (632 posts), followed by branding elements (569 posts) and hashtags (438 posts). Out of a total of 228 spot advert posts, all confectionery adverts and almost all (99.5%) soft drink adverts did not display the advertising license number and none of the confectionery adverts displayed the warning messages as required by law. Confectionery, retail food, and soft drink advertising violated the industry’s self-regulatory codes. The food brand Facebook pages in Thailand do not comply with Government regulations and the industry’s self-regulatory codes. The Government, civil society organizations, and academia should monitor these violations and improve enforcement.

Introduction The Government of Thailand has drafted legislation to protect children from the harmful impact of unhealthy food (including beverages) marketing. Local evidence on Thai children’s exposure to, and the impact of, this marketing is necessary to, first, support the adoption of this Law and, second, to contribute to assessing policy implementation and effectiveness. This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire for examining Thai children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing and its impact on diet-related outcomes. Materials and methods To design the questionnaire, we first conceptualised the range of impacts of unhealthy food marketing on children’s diet-related outcomes based on published frameworks. These outcomes related to food brand loyalty, preference, purchase and consumption. We conducted a literature review to gather related questions used in earlier surveys to assess these outcomes. Using these questions, we assessed content validity with five experts. Face validity and reliability were assessed for 32 children. Validity was assessed using Content Validity Index (CVI) and Kappa statistics. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results We identified 15 survey questions that had been used to assess the outcomes of interest. The CVI of all questions was 1.0, indicating perfect agreement with each question’s relevance by the experts. Most questions were perceived to be easy to read and comprehend, suggesting face validity. Cronbach’s alpha and ICC of all questions were both 0.75, demonstrating internal consistency across responses to questions about, separately, brand loyalty, preferences, purchase and consumption. Conclusion The final 15-item questionnaire provides a valid and reliable survey instrument for measuring the impact of unhealthy food marketing on children’s diet-related outcomes. This instrument will be useful for gathering local evidence on the need for policy reform to protect children from unhealthy food marketing in Thailand. The instrument also provides a cost-effective approach for generating evidence in other jurisdictions to propel policy actions. This is a pilot study and the validity and reliability needs further testing after a larger-scale roll-out.

Ultra-processed food companies in Thailand have rapidly expanded, and they play an important role in the domestic economy and public policy. These companie

Background: Alcohol and tobacco use remain major public health concerns in urban settings where retail availability is widespread. This study examined associations between sociodemographic factors, retail access, and alcohol and tobacco purchasing among urban residents in Bangkok. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,000 Thai youth and adults aged 18–60 years using a multi-stage sampling approach with convenience-based household recruitment in the final stage. Alcohol purchasing in the past 12 months and tobacco purchasing in the past 30 days were assessed as binary outcomes. Sociodemographic characteristics and access to retail outlets were collected using a structured questionnaire, allowing multiple responses for outlet access. Associations were examined using Pearson’s chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Results: Alcohol and tobacco purchasing were common and were significantly associated with sex, age group, religion, marital status, and educational attainment. Purchasing of both alcohol and tobacco was more commonly reported among males than females and among participants aged 26–40 years compared to other age groups. Monthly income and type of residential community were associated with alcohol purchasing only. Access to physical retail outlets, particularly convenience stores and local community shops, was associated with purchasing of both alcohol and tobacco products. Access to online retailers was significantly associated with tobacco purchasing but not with alcohol purchasing. Conclusions: Alcohol and tobacco purchasing among urban residents in Bangkok was associated with sociodemographic factors and retail access, highlighting the importance of retail-focused public health policies.