Socioeconomic impact during one decade on food consumption patterns in a rural Thai community

Food consumption patterns of 149 families in Soongnern District, Nakornrajasima Province, Thailand, were determined by 7‐day dietary records. Food items were grouped by ranking from the most to least frequent intake per week, fish (fresh, dry and salted), vegetables, fermented fish, beef‐pork‐poultry, eggs and spices. Consumption patterns in the present study were shown to differ from results obtained 10 years earlier (1970). As examples, fermented fish, which had been a favorite food ranking third in the past, dropped to last place. On the other hand intake of beef‐pork‐poultry and eggs increased. The trend of change in food consumption patterns may be due to the changing social situation during the past decade.

Key words:

• food consumption patterns
• frequency of food intake
• Soongnern
• Thailand
• socio‐economic change