BANGKOK Thailand's Department of Health has warned that more than one in 10 Thai primary school children were obese and the condition could harm their academic performance, a news report said Tuesday.

"A fat child with pink cheeks is not at all healthy," ****The Nation**** newspaper quoted the Health Department's Dr. Nantha Uamkul as saying on. "Fat children eat a lot of food so they feel sleepy most of the time. This could lessen their ability to learn in school."

She cited a survey by the department last year of 103,000 children at primary schools in 75 provinces which found 12.3 percent of the students were obese.

Nantha said obese children faced a greater risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and heart disease.

She said this could have a negative long-term effect on the Thai economy.

To fight the growing obesity problem, the Health Department has initiated a program to educate parents and children about healthy eating habits, DPA reported.