To say that Flamin' Hot Cheetos are addicting is nothing new -- we all know those cheesy red snacks are a dream and many of us have experienced the glory of dunking an entire bag of 'em in a tub of cream cheese. However, it appears that Frito Lay's signature snack food is landing especially voracious kids in the ER.
ABC reports that emergency rooms are seeing an increase in the number of children and adults suffering from gastritis, an inflamed stomach lining, or other stomach issues after eating bags of spicy chips and snacks like, but not limited to, Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
One boy in particular was interviewed by ABC and claimed to eat between 20 to 30 bags of Flamin' Hot Cheetos per month before experiencing stomach pains weeks prior to seeing a doctor. It's "like if you have a bruise or something. It really hurts a lot," the 12-year-old explained.
Dr. Martha Rivera, a pediatrician based in Los Angeles, said she sees five and six children with gastritis daily, as the surrounding community she serves "loves to eat the hot spicy, not real foods."
Dr. Robert Glatter, an ER physician in New York, said that the inflammation may be caused by the flavoring coating the snacks, rather than just the spiciness. Glatter reasons that he hasn't seen an increase in the number of people coming in after overloading on salsa. However, most salsas aren't nearly addictive enough to eat in the same quantity as snacks like Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
"Parents should be aware of this. These products are not healthy and some children seem to become addicted," Glatter told ABC.
