Researchers studied what people in a Karen community in Thailand eat during different seasons to understand their nutrition challenges. They found that most people—kids, working adults, and older people—don’t get enough important nutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamins, even though they eat vegetables regularly. The problem wasn’t just about eating different foods in different seasons, but rather that people don’t have access to enough variety of foods overall. This research shows that simply eating more vegetables isn’t enough; communities need better access to diverse foods and education about proper nutrition to stay healthy.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether people in a Karen community in Thailand eat different foods and get enough nutrients during rainy versus dry seasons
  • Who participated: 656 people total from two villages: 312 during rainy season and 344 during dry season, including children ages 6-12, working adults ages 19-59, and older adults age 60 and up
  • Key finding: Over 70% of all participants didn’t get enough calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, zinc, and B vitamins, regardless of season or age. Food variety was especially limited during the dry season for all age groups.
  • What it means for you: If you’re part of an indigenous or rural community with limited food access, you may need to seek out additional nutrient sources or supplements to meet your nutritional needs. This research suggests that eating more vegetables alone isn’t enough—you need a wider variety of different food types.

The Research Details

Researchers visited two Karen villages in Thailand and asked 656 people what they ate during one day—once during the rainy season and once during the dry season. They recorded everything from a single day’s meals for each person, then calculated how many different types of foods people ate and whether they were getting enough of important nutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamins.

This type of study is called a ‘snapshot’ approach because it captures information at one moment in time rather than following people over months or years. The researchers compared results between age groups (children, working adults, and older adults) and between seasons to see if eating patterns changed.

Understanding what people actually eat in real communities helps identify nutrition problems that might be missed by general health statistics. By studying the same community in different seasons, researchers could see whether food shortages during certain times of year were the main problem, or whether the issue was deeper—like not having access to enough variety of foods year-round.

This study has good strengths: it included a large number of people (656) across different age groups, and it collected data in two different seasons. However, the study only looked at one day of eating per person, which might not represent their typical diet. The researchers also only studied one specific community, so results may not apply to other indigenous groups or regions. The study was published in a respected nutrition journal, which suggests it met scientific standards.

What the Results Show

The most important finding was that more than 70% of people in every age group—children, working adults, and older adults—weren’t getting enough of seven key nutrients: calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. This problem existed in both rainy and dry seasons.

When researchers looked at how many different types of foods people ate, they found important differences between age groups. Children and working-age adults ate somewhat different food varieties than older adults. However, surprisingly, the variety of foods people ate didn’t change much between seasons for most groups—except that school-age children ate less variety during the dry season.

The dry season showed a specific problem: people ate noticeably fewer different types of foods during this time compared to the rainy season, and this affected everyone. This suggests that the dry season creates real food shortages or limited access to diverse foods.

The research revealed that even though people in this community ate vegetables fairly often, they weren’t eating enough different types of foods overall. The variety of foods available seemed to be the real problem, not just the amount of vegetables consumed. Different age groups showed different patterns—for example, older adults had different dietary patterns than younger people, which could affect their nutrition differently.

This study confirms what other research has found in indigenous and rural communities: limited food variety is a major nutrition problem. Previous studies in similar communities have also shown that people struggle to get enough micronutrients (the vitamins and minerals your body needs in small amounts). However, this study adds new information by showing that the problem isn’t just seasonal—it’s a year-round challenge for this community.

The study only looked at what people ate on a single day, which might not represent their normal eating patterns. Some people might have eaten differently on the day they were asked compared to their usual diet. The study only included people from two villages in one region of Thailand, so the findings might not apply to other Karen communities or other indigenous groups in different areas. The researchers didn’t collect information about why people had limited food variety—whether it was due to cost, availability, knowledge, or other factors.

The Bottom Line

If you’re part of this community or a similar one: (1) Try to eat as many different types of foods as possible, not just vegetables—include different grains, proteins, and other food groups. (2) Consider working with local health workers to identify affordable sources of nutrient-rich foods. (3) Discuss with a healthcare provider whether you or your family might benefit from vitamin and mineral supplements, especially for calcium, iron, and B vitamins. Confidence level: Moderate—this is based on solid research, but individual needs vary.

This research is most relevant to indigenous communities and rural populations with limited food access. It’s important for community health workers, government nutrition programs, and families in these communities. It’s less directly applicable to people living in areas with good access to diverse foods. Older adults and children in food-limited areas should pay special attention, as they have higher nutritional needs.

Improving nutrition takes time. If you make changes to eat more food variety, you might notice improvements in energy levels within a few weeks. However, building up adequate nutrient stores in your body (especially for minerals like iron and calcium) typically takes several months of consistent better nutrition.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track the number of different food groups eaten each day (grains, vegetables, fruits, proteins, dairy/calcium sources, fats). Aim to eat foods from at least 5-6 different groups daily. Log this weekly to identify patterns and gaps.
  • Use the app to create a simple meal plan that includes one new food type each week from underconsumed groups (like calcium-rich foods or different protein sources). Set reminders to try these new foods and track whether you’re increasing variety.
  • Monitor dietary diversity score monthly by recording all foods eaten over 3 days per month. Compare results across seasons to identify when food variety drops and plan ahead for those periods. Share results with a healthcare provider to discuss whether supplementation might help.

This research describes nutrition patterns in a specific indigenous community in Thailand and should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment of nutritional deficiencies. If you believe you or your family members have inadequate nutrition, please consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian who can assess your individual needs and recommend appropriate interventions. This study was observational and cannot prove that limited food variety directly causes health problems, only that they occur together. Individual nutritional needs vary based on age, health status, activity level, and other factors.