Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

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Binge eating is fantasized on TV through programs including Man v. Food and Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. In Man v. Food, Adam Richman takes on daunting food challenges to see if he can finish it all in one sitting or within a time limit. Additionally, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual competition to see who can eat the most hot dogs in the allotted time. Since binge eating is used in these forms of entertainment, it has lead to a surface level understanding and misconceptions. After being listed as a subcategory for the previous four editions, the DSM V listed it as an individually diagnosable disorder. According to the DSM V, It is categorized as eating an amount of food that is larger than what most people …show more content…
Symptoms include, frequent episodes of consuming large amounts of food without purging, feelings of loss of control, eating to the point of discomfort, and eating alone because of shame. When these symptoms perpetrate one’s life, it affects their character. For instance, a family member may open the refrigerator or pantry to find a significant section of it is missing, or they may find empty wrappers and containers littering the house. This is because someone with BED may start eating secretly, steal, or hoard food. Because of the shame this causes, dieting is a common way to combat it. Then, it is likely that they will make time for bingeing again and begin an inescapable cycle (Binge Eating Disorder | National Eating Disorders …show more content…
Low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness and dissatisfaction with appearance are emotional factors. Due to genetics, one may have unbalanced chemicals controlling hunger, appetite, and digestion. Being repeatedly teased about one’s body on top of narrow cultural definitions of beauty is a social factor. On the contrary, negative emotions or traumas such as rape, abuse, or the death of a loved one can cause the disorder. Also, the stress of giving birth and accepting one’s new role and body image is another factor. When an individual is overwhelmed with emotions, they may manipulate the control of food as a way of coping. Once an overwhelmed individual starts engaging in abnormal eating behaviors, the problem will perpetuate itself. These behaviors will damage a person’s physical and emotional health, self-esteem and sense of control (Binge Eating Disorder | National Eating Disorders