Eighteen years ago, the documentary Super Size Me explored what regular fast food consumption at massive levels could do to a human body. The results, needless to say, were not great, and preceded McDonald’s removing its “super size” menu options. But what about regularly eating fast food at a more measured pace? What would it be like to, say, eat a Big Mac once a day for 50 years?
That’s not a rhetorical question, as it turns out.
The Washington Post recently wrote about a man named Don Gorske. Gorske is now 68, and for the last 50 years he’s eaten a Big Mac nearly every day. Apparently it has its roots in a vow he made at the age of 10 — stating to his father that he would dine at McDonald’s each and every day of his life.
According to the article, Gorske has eaten 32,943 Big Macs since 1972. If you’re wondering if that’s a world record, it sure is. His Big Mac consumption occasionally goes to two a day. That is, to put it mildly, not a small amount of burgers. He initially set the record in 1999, at which point he’d eaten 15,490 Big Macs.
Gorske told the Post that both his blood pressure and cholesterol remain at healthy levels. (He’s married to a nurse practicioner, which is probably helpful there.) It is worth mentioning, though, that his eating and exercise habits seem pretty solid — including a lot of walks, eating plenty of vegetables and generally avoiding fries. Gorske is doing something he loves, but he’s also engaged in the timeless practice of moderation.
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