title: Competitive speed eating: truth and consequences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our investigation was to assess the stomachs of a world-class speed-eating champion and of a control subject during a speed-eating test in our gastrointestinal fluoroscopy suite to determine how competitive speed eaters are able to eat so much so fast.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our observations suggest that successful speed eaters expand the stomach to form an enormous flaccid sac capable of accommodating huge amounts of food. We speculate that professional speed eaters eventually may develop morbid obesity, profound gastroparesis, intractable nausea and vomiting, and even the need for a gastrectomy. Despite its growing popularity, competitive speed eating is a potentially self-destructive form of behavior.
authors: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 3400 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. marc.levine@uphs.upenn.edu
authors: Marc S
authors: MS
authors: Levine
authors: Geoffrey
authors: G
authors: Spencer
authors: Abass
authors: A
authors: Alavi
authors: David C
authors: DC
authors: Metz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D013270:Stomach / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*