Super Bowl parties drive up 'overeating emergencies': Study reveals spike in intestine-related ER visits after game day
- Overeating on game day makes you 10 times more likely to visit ER the next day
- Over 11 years at one Boston hospital, 38 people had stomach procedures soon after a holiday
- About 37 percent of those patients had food stuck in the esophagus
- Experts offer tips and tricks to avoid you feeling bloated after a game day party
Beware of those fully-loaded nachos you plan on chowing down on Super Bowl Sunday.
New research has found that there is a spike in intestine-related emergency room visits after game day parties.
People who overeat during national holidays and national sporting events - like this weekend's Super Bowl - are 10 times more likely to need emergency medical attention for food obstruction than any at other time of the year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, abdominal pain is the single most common reason that American patients visit the ER, accounting for seven million visits per year.
But there are several adjustments you could make to avoid a next day hospital visit.
People who overeat on national holidays or sporting events - like the Super Bowl - are 10 times more likely to visit the ER for food obstruction, a new University of Florida study says
The study used data collected over an 11-year period, from 2001 to 2012, from the emergency room at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.
In that time, researchers saw 38 people undergo an emergency procedure on the esophagus during or just after the holiday or sporting event time period - within three days of the event.
About 37 percent of the procedures were due to food impaction, or when food becomes stuck in the esophagus.
Comparatively, researchers looked at 81 people who had the same procedure two weeks before and two weeks after the event. Of that number, just under four percent of the operations were due to food impaction.
The researchers said most of the problems affected men, and most of the cases came during or just after the Thanksgiving holiday.
During holidays and national sporting events, the most commonly impacted foods were turkey (50 percent), followed by chicken (29 percent) and beef (21 percent).
Lead author Dr Asim Shuja, a gastroenterologist at the University of Florida Health Jacksonville, where the study was conducted, said other holidays like New Year's Day or events such as the Super Bowl, also were associated with a higher incidence of cases.
He said: 'Though the sample size was small, it's clear that a pattern emerged showing a higher percentage of people seeking treatment during or just after the holiday or event, and a much greater percentage during those times needed help because food was impacted in their esophagus.
'It's a very serious problem that people need to be aware of.'
Serving size and how quickly people ate were listed as possible risk factors, as was alcohol consumption.
'We think the main message here is for people to be aware and not to, for lack of a better term, overindulge,' Dr Shuja said.
'Not only the amount of food you're eating during the holiday or event, but the size of the portion you're eating can have a tremendous impact.'
TIPS FOR GOING INTO THE GAME
Registered dietitian Lara Metz, of Lara Metz Nutrition in New York, spoke to Daily Mail Online and offered her tips and tricks to have a successful game day, without the stomach problems.
Lara said that her first tip was to have one meal.
She said: 'People make a mistake of going into Super Bowl weekend thinking it's one big weekend for eating.
'Don't starve yourself going into the party, make sure that you're eating healthily throughout the day.'
Another trick is to survey all the options and plate your food. When you plate your food, Lara says, you can properly track how much you eat and and you're more likely to hold yourself accountable.
However, if you accidentally do overeat, Lara recommends first drinking lots of water to flush out your system.
'Have a healthy, clean day of accessible eating. Get in a workout if you can and don't look back.
'If you go into the day with black and white eating, thinking that one day of bad eating has derailed you from healthy eating, you're setting yourself up for failure. Don't let it ruin your whole week. Just get back on track the next day.'
HEALTHY PARTY FOODS THAT WON'T LEAVE YOU WITH A STOMACH ACHE ON MONDAY MORNING
Typical Super Bowl party dishes include nachos, a variety of dips, and wings - loaded with flavor but also sodium and fats.
Registered dietitians Keri Glassman and the Nutrition Twins - Tammy Lakatos Shames and Lyssie Lakatos - offer some recipe ideas you can follow that skip the excessive calories while still filling you up.
Honey Ginger Sesame Chicken Skewers
Chicken wings are a popular staple of any Super Bowl party. But these skewers pack the same protein and flavor without all the fat.
Each chicken skewer is only 60 calories, making portion sizing simple.
Honey ginger sesame chicken skewers will provide the same protein as wings without the fat
Easy snacking is easy to make happen with this quick way to punch up almonds, cashews, or peanuts, all of which deliver protein and healthy fats.
Nuts contain heart-healthy substances such as unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids
Leave the Lay’s on the shelf. Instead, put out bowls of these healthy zucchini chips for guests to grab a crispy, salty bite or to use for dipping.
The peels of zucchinis are a good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation and offers some protection against colon cancers.
Zucchini chips, over the store-bought variety, provide plenty of fiber and nutrients
Roasted Tarragon Garlic Sweet Potato Fries
Eating sweet potatoes doesn’t cause your energy to come crashing down as many other carbohydrates do. The fiber in the potato causes the glucose from the carbohydrates to enter your blood stream at a slower and more gradual rate.
This will help keep your energy level stable and aiding in the prevention of mood swings and cravings that come with energy highs and lows.
The fiber in sweet potatoes will not cause you to crash unlike with other carbohydrates
These cute cups are filled with lean protein and fiber to keep guests from overeating from the party spread. Tabouleh contains antioxidant-rich veggies and herbs like onions, tomatoes, and parsley, and avocados for healthy fats.
These individualized cups contain Tabouleh which has antioxidant-rich veggies and herbs
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