Healthy Eating Promotion via Food Stalls in Chiang Mai University

Abstract

Trending of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Thailand, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease etc. is higher than in the past. These diseases occupied a percentage of 75.2 of all mortality rates in 2013. Poor consumption behavior is one of the main causes of these chronic diseases. Only 25.9 percent of Thai adults get their sufficient daily fruit and vegetable consumption and the consumption of sugar was three times over the recommendation per day. Moreover, fat and salt consumption were twice over the maximum appropriate amount. This problem must be resolved urgently.  To study knowledge and food consumption behavior of food stalls owners and then develops the healthy food selling system in Chiang Mai University.  Materials used in this study were 3 questionnaires included questionnaire for knowledge and consumption behavior of food stall owners, questionnaire for satisfaction and opinion about the healthy food selling of consumers and questionnaire for satisfaction and opinion about the healthy food selling of food stall owners.  This was action research planned into four stages that plan, educate, observe and evaluate the healthy food selling system developed.  There were 38 food stalls owners participate in healthy food selling. The result of satisfactory of food stall owner, 55.3 percent agreed that this project should be continued at the highest level.  Food stall owner very agreed (55.3 and 44.7 percent) that they gained more knowledge about healthy food consumption and this project has resulted in more attention to consumer’s health respectively. Moreover, 55.3 percent of food stall owners totally agreed that there is a change in their cooking behavior. For consumer’s opinion survey, 51.3 percent had the highest level of agreement that this project should be continued. 52.2 percent of consumer totally agreed that healthy food according to this project is good for their health and resulting in their health attention through healthy eating.  After finishing this action research, there was healthy eating promotion at Chiang Mai University by improving food environment. Most of healthy food sellers and consumers satisfied the project. For going on health promotion in the university, the next step should be giving knowledge about healthy eating to consumers. So healthy food eating would be sustainable leading to lower risk of chronic non-communicable diseases.