23,000 Big Macs Since 1972

I read an article last year about a Wisconsin man who has eaten over 23,000 Big Macs since 1972 (an average 1.75 Big Macs per day).

It’s not every day you meet someone who has eaten that many burgers… And I can’t help but wonder how young this guy will be when he dies. His very unhealthy obsession compelled me to make a comparison.

Over the years, I’ve met people who pop Aspirin or Ibuprofen daily. Many of them have been taking 2-4 pain relievers per day for as long as they can remember. These were people with chronic aches and pains who just needed some relief to start and end their day. No big deal, right?

Well suppose they’ve been popping a couple of these pain pills day and night since 1972… That’s 37 years. This adds up to over 54,000 pills!

If the consumption of 23,000 cheeseburgers is shocking/disgusting to you, shouldn’t the ingestion of this many pills be equally, if not more, alarming?

I’m not sure which one is better off. Both of these addictions have their consequences. The burgers will add to your waistline, blood pressure, and cholesterol. The pain pills will damage your digestive tract and kidney cells.

When taken in such large quantities over time, both will take years from your life, and life from your years.