THE REIGNS governing what and when the Buddhist monks of Thailand eat are strict. They must rely only on the alms of the faithful and consume them every day before noon. Early each morning, they come out of the temples in bright orange robes, ready to collect offerings. They’re not supposed to say what they like the most or be picky. Eager believers often distribute large meals or sweet snacks to please. Some monks also use sugary drinks during the long afternoon fast. All of this left the belly of many monks as round as their begging bowls. The office of the National Health Commission estimates that about half of the 349,000 monks in Thailand are overweight or obese.
Almost two years ago, a health charter appeared, encouraging monks and those who feed them to think more about diet and exercise. Prayer and meditation don’t burn a lot of calories, but monks aren’t supposed to be fitness freaks either. (In fact, they are supposed to find a “middle way” in all things between indulgence and self-mortification.) The development of appropriate physical activities, such as walking and cleaning the temple, was part health efforts. For the past year, the Ministry of Public Health has also been offering nutritional advice to monks.
Jongjit Angkatavanich from Chulalongkorn University tries to help the monks shift their weight. She studied their cholesterol levels and the prevalence of diabetes and other diseases from which corpulent people suffer. A useful tool she developed was a belt that monks could use to measure the growth or contraction of their tummies. She says hospitals are twinned with temples to keep an eye on the state of health education within them. Brochures are also distributed to those who cook for the monks, keeping them away from gourmet recipes and favoring brown rice and vegetables.
The country as a whole would benefit from this advice. Thailand is one of the most plump places in Asia. According to a study published in 2017 by the Institute of the Asian Development Bank, a think tank, 33% of men and 43% of women are obese. The problem got worse as the country got richer. Of course, that does not help that for many foreigners and locals, a good Thai meal is close to nirvana.■
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the title “The chin eight times”