Thai children losing out on height due to too little milk
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Thai children losing out on height due to too little milk
13 Sept 14:07Key points summarised by AI
Thai children's short stature is directly linked to their significantly low milk consumption, with statistics indicating a rising percentage of "short" teenagers.
Thailand's per capita milk consumption (21.5 litres/year) lags considerably behind other nations like Japan (32.8 litres) and India (60 litres).
The Thai government has set ambitious goals to increase the average height of young Thais and boost national milk intake to 25 litres per person annually by 2027.
Health experts recommend two glasses of fresh plain milk daily, alongside a balanced diet, at least 60 minutes of exercise, outdoor activities for Vitamin D, and adequate sleep to optimize children's growth and development.
Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.