DAY6's Young K Reveals Dramatic Diet Change: From 8 to 3 Ramen Noodles

DAY6 member Young K opened up about his weight loss journey on the YouTube show TEO 테오, revealing a significant reduction in his ramen intake. He shared, "In my prime, I used to eat about 8 bowls of ramen. Now, I only eat about 3."

In addition, he recalled a time during his trainee days when he was scolded for requesting 8 servings of rice with a single bowl of soybean paste stew. This candidness about his past as a big eater underscores his drastic lifestyle changes.

Despite Young K's testimony, research suggests that merely reducing meal sizes does not necessarily lead to a noticeable decrease in stomach size. A study published in the journal Obesity Surgery in 2005 compared the stomach lengths, volumes, and weights of 30 morbidly obese patients with a control group of 20 individuals with normal weight. The results indicated no significant differences in stomach capacity or weight between the two groups.

The researchers concluded that there is no anatomical evidence to suggest that the stomach of severely obese patients is inherently larger or heavier than that of the general population.

On the other hand, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) states that in cases where diet and exercise alone are insufficient for weight loss, surgical options may be considered. One commonly performed procedure, sleeve gastrectomy, reduces stomach size to limit food intake. Another, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, alters the stomach and small intestine’s structure, changing the way food is consumed and absorbed.

The ASMBS explains that these surgical options can not only aid in weight loss but also improve obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea.

In summary, while developing habits to reduce meal portions may help with intake control, it is difficult to conclusively state that this will significantly shrink the stomach itself. Medical procedures like bariatric surgery are effective methods for genuinely altering stomach size, but such decisions should be made only after thorough consultations with healthcare professionals.