Everyone has got a different idea of how much food is too much food, but according to a study of over 400 college students, the amount differs hugely depending on if it's a male or female doing the eating.
Participants were posed the question: Chris just ate three doughnuts in nine minutes.
More than half the 400-plus college students he surveyed felt that eating three doughnuts qualified as a binge--if the person feasting on them was female. But guys had to eat six doughnuts before the same number of students labeled it a binge. Women were particularly likely to show this sex bias; they gave male snackers far more slack.
So, why is this a problem?
For one thing, women are more inclined to suffer emotional fallout from thinking they've binged. "They're likely to feel depressed and guilty," says LaPorte, "whereas men tend to view eating in physical terms: rather than expressing negative emotions, they'll say they feel stuffed or satisfied."
What do you consider a binge? Does it differ from male to female? Do you think the concerns are valid, or does it make sense that a man should have to eat more before something is considered a binge?
In other eating news, find out if you're a sneak eater, read about a morbidly obese jailbird who is suing the county for his 100 pound weight-loss, or, if this post just served to make you hungry, go here to read about America's best BBQ.
Lastly, here is a clip of Nathan's 2007 hot dog eating contest, where Joey Chestnut beats reigning champ Kobayashi with a record 66 hot dogs.