Belt of fat theory explained

In competitive eating, the belt of fat theory posits that, paradoxically, those who have a higher body fat percentage are less well positioned to win contests. This is due to the eponymous "belt of fat" around the midsections of competitors, made up of subcutaneous and visceral fat, which constricts rapid expansion of their stomachs.^[1] Originally forwarded in 1998 by Major League Eating (then known as the International Federation of Competitive Eating),^[2] the belt of fat theory has gone on to become widely accepted by competitive eaters.^{[3] [4] [5]}

While not widely studied, the theory has seen some degree of acceptance in scientific publications, including Popular Science^[6] and the Canadian Medical Association Journal.^[7]

Further reading

• Web site: 2004-07-06. Too Fat to Eat Fast?. Wolf. Buck. https://web.archive.org/web/20050407024907/http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/WolfFiles/story?id=116496&page=1. 2005-04-07. The Wolf Files. ABC News. Buck Wolf.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Anatomy of a competitive eater. Liao. Sharon. 2011-07-02. ESPN.com. en. 2020-04-07.
2. Web site: Popular Science Confirms BoF Theory. Krachie. Edward. 2003-10-28. Major League Eating. en. 2020-04-07.
3. Book: Nerz, Ryan. Eat This Book: A Year of Gorging and Glory on the Competitive Eating Circuit. 2006-04-04. Macmillan. 978-0-312-33968-5. en.
4. Web site: Miner. Karen. 2018-07-02. The untold truth of competitive eating. 2020-08-01. Mashed.com. en-US.
5. Web site: Kuntzman. Gersh. 2000-06-26. TRUTH EASY TO SWALLOW? FAT CHANCE!. 2020-08-01. New York Post. en-US.
6. Green. Ariana. November 2003. When a 145 pound man can outeat a former defensive tackle nicknamed 'the fridge'. Popular Science. November 2003. 120–121.
7. Collier. Roger. 2013-03-05. Competitive consumption: Ten minutes. 20 000 calories. Long-term trouble?. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal. 185. 4. 291–292. 10.1503/cmaj.109-4397. 0820-3946. 3589306. 23382254.