Messages of weight-loss and healthy food choices have dominated media in recent years, but a new message is creeping into headlines, and it's one that is sparking a battle of epic proportions.
In the name of entertainment, people are competing to create, consume or sell the most disgusting meal imaginable by combining the fattiest, greasiest, gooiest foods together in one monstrosity.
This isn't completely new. It has existed on some level for years.
Remember the infamous "if you can eat this 72 ounce steak in one hour, you get it free" scenario. Well imagine this coming to you through your television every Wednesday night.
Man v. Food is just that.
Food enthusiast and actor Adam Richman takes these "big food" challenges in different American cities each week. He wins some, he loses some, but the big thing to note is how well the show has been received by audiences.
Airing for the first time only two years ago, the show is already into its fourth season on the Travel Channel. In fact, it was the channel's highest-rated debut show ever.
Audiences are eating this up. They love it.
Now other people are beginning to make their foray into the "man versus food" world.
One of these people is Harley Morenstein.
Morenstein has received a lot of media attention for his gluttonous creation, "The Angry French Canadian."
Now this sandwich is the real deal.
Made from a gooey combination of steamed hot dogs, bacon and poutine, dumped on a French-toasted baguette and drenched in pure maple syrup, this Frankensandwich packs a whopping 5,343 calories and 207 grams of fat. A person would gain a pound-and-a-half just from eating concoction.
Morentstein posted a video on Youtube of the sandwich making process, including the part where he and two of his friends devour their work of food art. More than 378,000 people have already viewed the video since it was posted Nov. 1.
If this isn't enough to keep you entertained, take a peak at thisiswhyyourefat.com. This site is impressive. Readers send in photos of their creations, or creations they saw elsewhere, to be posted on the site. Some of them look quite appealing, will others make you throw up a little in your mouth.
There is everything from sugary "hamburger cupcakes," made from chocolate and vanilla cupcakes and various colours of icing to mimic the condiments, to "deep-fried Reeses Cups wrapped in bacon" which is really just self-explanatory. (And quite disgusting looking, I must add).
It's not just random people capitalizing off the entertainment value of these epic foods.
Fast-food joints are doing a fine job too.
The most recent sandwich to hit headlines was KFC's Double Down sandwich. This salt laden, greasy burger has taken the country by its fat man pants.
Selling more than 350,000 sandwiches during its first two weeks on the Canadian KFC menu (it debuted in the U.S. six months ago and sold 10 million in the first month), the Double Down sandwich is a true heart attack in a bag.
The breadless creation is a mound of bacon, cheese and the Colonel's signature secret sauce sandwiched between two pieces of fried chicken.
Can you say, "Mmm, mmm, Kentucky Fried Chicken!"
Each one of these monstrosity packs 540 calories, 30 grams of fat, and 1,740 mg of sodium.
Okay, so maybe it's not as bad as the "The Angry French Canadian," but the latter is not for sale.
