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Food For Thought: "Hot Dogs Cause Butt Cancer"
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jul 4, 2012
Modified Jul 4, 2012
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Alycia Kravtiz/Gothamist
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jul 4, 2012
Modified Jul 4, 2012
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Competitive eaters and their fans aren't the only folks who are heading to Coney Island right now for the annual Hot Dog Eating Competition there. members of the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine are planning on showing up to show their displeasure as well. Because hot dogs, they say, will kill you.
"Eating just one hot dog a day can increase your risk of colorectal cancer by 21 percent," reads the group's press materials. "Hot dogs are also packed with fat, sodium, and cholesterol, which can raise the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease." They also taste great and go well with mustard.
The group is particularly interested in getting its "Hot Dogs Cause Butt Cancer" message across at the contest outside of Nathan's because of just how many hot dogs get consumed at the annual event. As they point out, last year winner Joey Chestnut (who weighed in yesterday at 210 pounds) ate 62 dogs in 10 minutes...which adds up to "18,689 calories, 2,085 mg of cholesterol, 42,228 mg of sodium, and more than 1,162 grams of fat." And when you put it that way...
PCRM reps will be on the Boardwalk to "hold up a banner that warns of the link between hot dogs and 'butt' cancer or colorectal cancer, and distribute flyers urging spectators and contest participants to 'save their buns.'" So, yeah, be warned. Not phased? You can always spend your Independence Day trying some of our favorite dogs in town.
Tagged
cancer
hot dog
hot dogs
science
Garth Johnston
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