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Very early every morning, Thai Buddhist monks leave their monasteries to seek alms. They have been doing this since the time of the Buddha who stated that monks cannot cook for themselves. They can only eat food that has been given to them.

By giving alms, people are making merit for themselves and their ancestors and so, whilst the food takes care of the monks’ physical health, the monks can concentrate on the spiritual wellbeing of the nation by offering blessings in return for food and spending many hours each day in prayer and meditation.

Obesity is a growing problem in Thailand. As the country becomes more affluent, its citizens are working more and cooking less which means that they are buying more convenience foods containing high levels of fat and sugar.

In the Thai population at large, one in three men is obese but the numbers are worse in Thai temples where one in two Buddhist monks is obese. They eat the same food as the Thai population and they only eat in the mornings so what is the problem?

Sucheera Maguire has been to Bangkok to talk to those who give and receive alms and she takes a look at some of the ingenious solutions that Thai nutritionists have come up with to combat the obesity crisis in Thai temples.

(Photo: Thai monk giving blessings to a street food trader. Credit: Helen Lee)