My Family Doctor
A family practitioner for over 25 years, Dr. Hubbard knows the medical world inside and out. Frustrated by managed care and the lack of time doctors were able to spend educating patients, he launched James Hubbard's My Family Doctor: The Magazine That Makes Housecalls, a national magazine written by health care practitioners that is his answer to hurried doctor visits, conflicting medical studies, and complicated treatment options.
Why Many Competitive Eaters Are Skinny
Being plump isn’t a prerequisite
Question: Why are so many competitive eating champions skinny?
Answer: Can you wolf down 9.75 pounds of fried okra, 26 large cannoli, or 47 grilled cheese sandwiches—all in a matter of minutes? If so, you may have the right stuff to be a competitive eater.
In the world of competitive eating, the stomach stretches to accommodate huge quantities of food really fast. But don’t think being plump is a prerequisite. The skinny eaters are often the surprising winners. Why? They seem to be able to expand their stomachs faster, no doubt because of thinner fat and muscular layers constraining the abdomen.
If you decide to take up this gluttonous sport—not something I highly recommend—be aware of the risks. Choking deaths have occurred, and violent retching (what the gurgitators politely term a “reversal of fortune”) may lead to Boerhaave’s syndrome, a life-threatening tear through the esophagus with leakage of gastric contents into the mediastinum, i.e., the area holding the heart—not where you ever want to find gastric juices or 50 franks. Note that the International Federation of Competitive Eating always has medical personnel on site during events.
By Patricia L. Raymond, MD
Featured Contributor
My Family Doctor Blog
[Originally posted July 2010, James Hubbard’s My Family Doctor Web site. Patricia L. Raymond, MD, FACP, FACG, is a board-certified gastroenterologist with Simply Screening in Chesapeake, Virginia; author of Colonoscopy: It'll Crack U Up!; and assistant professor of clinical internal medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School.]
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