Japanese Influencer Who Ate 100 Burgers In One Sitting Retires After Bipolar Diagnosis; Is Unhealthy Diet Linked To Mental Health?

A world-famous Japanese competitive eater has announced retirement after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the South China Morning Post reported. Yuka Kinoshita, who has over 5.2 million followers on social media, is known for eating 600 fried chicken and 100 burgers in one sitting at various food-eating competitions.

“I will turn 40 on February 4, and it is really hard for me to continue working as a big eater,” Kinoshita explained in her announcement. “I am very exhausted. My health has deteriorated over the years. It is no problem to eat like a normal person, but I will feel tired even when I am not full. So I am afraid I cannot eat as much as before.”

Kinoshita first rose to fame on the Japanese reality show The Battle of Big Eaters, where her slim stature and charming smile stood in stark contrast to her massive food consumption. Since then, she has been documenting her eating feats which mostly include processed and junk foods.

Apart from a huge number of fried chicken and burgers, Kinoshita’s accomplishments include consuming 5 kilograms of steak and ramen in a single sitting. She once also devoured bibimbap mixed with 50 eggs alongside 6 kilograms of miso soup.

Despite regularly eating between 5,000 t 20,000 calories per meal, she maintained a weight of just 47 kilograms at a height of 158 cm.

While eating unhealthy foods can cause a host of ailments, a lesser-known effect of a poor diet, according to studies, is that it contributes to bipolar mood episodes. Experts say that even though there is no specific diet recommended for bipolar disorder—a mental illness that involves extreme mood swings, from mania to depression—certain food choices may help manage manic episodes.

Also, those with the condition also have a high prevalence for multiple chronic conditions like being overweight or obese. Doctors say there is an association between certain fatty acids and the severity of self-reported symptoms in those with bipolar disorder.

According to experts, those with bipolar disorder must eat more fruits and vegetables and pay attention to the fat content in their diet.

What Foods and Drinks Should People With Bipolar Disorder Avoid?

If you have bipolar disorder, it is important to know what foods you must avoid and cut back on. A few of these include:

Caffeine is a stimulant that can trigger mania.

Alcohol and bipolar disorder are a bad combination. Alcohol affects bipolar mood swings and may also interact negatively with medications like lithium.

Eating a diet high in refined sugar makes it harder to control weight and obesity and makes some bipolar disorder drug treatments less effective.

Limit the amount of saturated and trans-fat in your diet, which means opting for lean protein and low-fat dairy products and eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and healthy grains.

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