The rise in online food delivery (OFD) applications has increased access to a myriad of ready-to-eat options, which may lead to unhealthier food choices. Our objective was to assess the nutritional profile of popular menu items available through OFD applications in Bangkok, Thailand. We selected the top 40 popular menu items from three of the most commonly used OFD applications in 2021. Each menu item was collected from the top 15 restaurants in Bangkok for a total of 600 items. Nutritional contents were analysed by a professional food laboratory in Bangkok. Descriptive statistics were employed to describe the nutritional content of each menu item, including energy, fat, sodium, and sugar content. We also compared nutritional content to the World Health Organization’s recommended daily intake values. The majority of menu items were considered unhealthy, with 23 of the 25 ready-to-eat menu items containing more than the recommended sodium intake for adults. Eighty percent of all sweets contained approximately 1.5 times more sugar than the daily recommendation. Displaying nutrition facts in the OFD applications for menu items and providing consumers with filters for healthier options are required to reduce overconsumption and improve consumer food choice.

Background: Alcohol marketing is a facilitator of alcohol consumption and related harm. The objectives of this study were to examine associations between alcohol consumption and exposure to and liking of alcohol marketing activities in Thailand. Methods: Data were obtained from the Thailand International Alcohol Control Policy study in 2012/2013 with 5,808 respondents aged betwee 15 and 65 years. Logistic regression models were applied to determine factors associated with liking alcohol advertisements and being a current drinker, regular drinker and binge drinker. Results: Of all respondents, 75% were exposed to alcohol advertising on television followed by sports sponsorship (69%) and point of sale (66%). Youth reported higher levels of exposure to alcohol advertising via all activities/channels, particularly online media, than adults (except radio). Respondents with high exposure to alcohol advertising were more likely to like alcohol advertising (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=7.32, 95%confidence interval (CI): 4.91-10.92), compared to respondents who never exposed to alcohol advertising. The odds ratios of being a drinker (AOR=2.28, 95%CI: 1.82-2.85), a regular drinker (2.10, 1.57-2.81) and a binge drinker (2.57, 1.94-3.41) were significantly higher among those who highly liked alcohol advertising compared with those who did not. Conclusion: Thailand should place greater restrictions on alcohol advertising and marketing activities.

Background: Health information promotes a healthy lifestyle; however, media health literacy (MHL) is essential to personal intake, especially fruit and vegetables (F&V). This study aimed to determine how exposure to health information and MHL affect F&V consumption among Thai youth age 10-14 years. Health behavior at this age can be an important determinant of consumption habits when transitioning into adulthood. Methods: A stratified two-stage sample survey was conducted to recruit 1,871 youth across regions to be nationally representative. Qualtrics offline survey application was used for data collection through face-to-face, personal interviews. Multiple regression was used to analyze the explanatory variables on F&V intake. Results: This study found that almost 70% of Thai youth were exposed to health-related content via the Internet, and had low analytical skills to process that information. Grade Point Average (GPA), exposure to health information, various media types, frequency of exposure to health information, and MHL influenced the frequency of F&V intake. Health status related to fruit intake, age, place of residence, amount of pocket money, and body mass index (BMI) were associated with F&V consumption. Conclusion: Exposure to health information and MHL are associated with F&V intake. Therefore, exposure to health information and MHL should be addressed for policy formulation in Thai schools and the health system.