Children’s Diet & Health (9% of total coverage)

Coverage in this category increased significantly from 2005’s 1%, with primary focus on children's lunchboxes, and discussions on fruits & vegetables, including pointers on what parents can do to encourage children to eat enough fruits & vegetables. For more information on “Raising Healthy Kids – Some Tips for Parents", please follow the appropriate links in English, ภาษาไทย or 中文.

Cancer & Diet (6% of total coverage)

With double the coverage from 2005’s survey, interest in this category centered around the role of dieting, dietary components and their contribution to cancer prevention. Other issues discussed include the importance of regular check-ups and the positive effects of exercising. To read more about AFIC information resource “Talking Food and Health: A New Approach for the Experts”, please follow the appropriate links in English, ภาษาไทย, 中文 or 한글.

Functional foods generated wide coverage in the 2006 survey, recording 27% of total coverage, eclipsing 2005’s total of just 4%. The primary topic of discussion were on the added health benefits of specific food or food groups, which include items such as tea, wheatgrass, cultured bacteria beverages, mushrooms and a variety of fruits and vegetables such as pomegranate, apple and kiwifruit. To read more about “Nutrition Information – What to Make of It?” please follow the appropriate link in English, ภาษาไทย or 中文.

Healthy Eating & Lifestyles (19% of total coverage)

Coverage in this category recorded a substantial 19% in the 2006 survey, although this was a significant drop from 2005’s total of 26%. Discussions in this category centered around a few key themes: dieting programs, snacking and achieving a healthful and sustainable lifestyle, simple ways to improve health, the topic of portion sizes, and the importance of breakfast. To read more about AFIC information resource “Kick Start Your Day with Breakfast”, please follow the appropriate link in English, ภาษาไทย, 中文 or 한글.

Heart Disease / Cholesterol / Fats (11% of total coverage)

2006’s coverage of 11% was a significant increase from 2005’s 1% in this category. The main themes in this category include discussions on heart-friendly diets, and a variety of food or food groups such as tomato, fruit juices and apple that can help maintain a healthy heart. There were also discussions on the different types of fats, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. For more information on “What You Should Know About Dietary Salt, Sodium, and Health”, please click here to download PDF format.

Overweight / Obesity / Weight Control (9% of total coverage)

Coverage in this category recorded a total of 9%, which represents a decrease of 23% from 2005’s total of 32%. Discussion in this area focused on weight loss regimes, metabolism and physical activity, and portion size and its relationship to weight management. Added to this are a variety of articles focusing on the issue of weight loss and weight control. Please follow the link for more information on “Am I Overweight? A Guide to Measuring Overweight and Obesity”.

The Asian Food information Centre is a not-for profit Singapore-registered organization Its mission is to effectively communicate sound science based information on food safety, health and nutrition to the media and other key audiences in Asia.