Screen idol Nirut agreed that it was important to include a variety of food in your diet. He claimed that Inuit (“Eskimo”) people rarely live beyond their 50s because they eat fish and nothing else.

“At the age of 76, I have no medical conditions. I could still play soccer until I was 60. Eating is a big deal for me,” said Nirut, before offering his own secret to a long and healthy life.

“I’ve eaten only one meal per day for the last 60 years and I only eat when I get hungry,” he declared.

The still youthful-looking septuagenarian said he still enjoys his food and never counts calories.

“Just eat what you want, in sufficient quantity and with plenty of variety – don’t stick to the same old favourite every single meal. Sleep well and avoid being stressed.”

His last piece of advice was to get a health check “once or twice a year” as prevention is better than being cured during a long stay in hospital.

“You need to be your own doctor, staying aware of what’s happening to your body so that you can inform the actual doctors and let them cure you,” he added.

Session two gathered different perspectives from health influencers, an expert, and a specialist on how to stay fit after turning 60.

Dr Sanga Madapong, a government health adviser and senior expert at the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, shocked the crowd in the auditorium by revealing he was 74 years of age. Sanga, who looks no older than 50, said he started taking care of himself seriously when he was 33.

“I don’t want to be a burden on my children, so I try hard to take care of myself,” he said.

He recommended eating a diet that contains all five food groups – fruit and vegetables; rice and other starchy carbohydrates; proteins; dairy and alternatives; and fats.

He warned that those who eat no meat at all were at risk of getting insufficient amino acids.

Sanga added that the older we get, the higher the risk of heart disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes. And the root causes of these diseases lie in what we consume, he said.

Fasai Puengudom, a fitness and health influencer, delved into the reasons why people abandon diet and exercise routines. He highlighted the challenges of maintaining passion and the risk of losing sight of goals along the way.

“Passion in Latin means to suffer, but also to endure. Because we do not want to suffer, we must be very committed to our food and exercise regimen.”

He stressed the importance of considering each person’s health issues as unique and developing a workout plan that is tailor-made for each individual.

Sineenart Hatrakul, a 70-year-old health influencer, declared she aimed to stay fit to the last day of her life and avoid ever becoming bedridden.

She endorsed Fasai’s point that people should set their goal for a healthy lifestyle and start now. The earlier, the better, she emphasised.