40 rotis, 10 plates of rice: Bihar man's diet in a quarantine center

A man in quarantine centre in Bihar's Buxar left officials perplexed after they found that the man eats 40 rotis (Chapatis) and 10 plates of rice in a day. Thousands of migrant workers are returning to Bihar from other states and have been quarantined for 14 days in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Several videos of quarantine centers are making rounds on social media. But a quarantine center in Buxar district of Bihar has become the centre of attention for locals and district administration officials.

According to reports, a 23-year-old quarantined migrant worker has surprised everyone with his daily diet. This young man, identified as Anoop Ojha ate 40 rotis in breakfast and 10 plates of rice in lunch. Later in the video below, Anoop is also heard saying how he gulped 26 littis as well. 

Ojha hails from Kharha Tand panchayat and is now out of quarantine centre. His inmates were left stunned when they saw him eating 83 ‘litti’ on one such day.

The official later ordered inquiries into the same as his overeating became concern for them. Later, Ajay Kumar Singh, the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Simri, visited the quarantine center during lunchtime and inquired about the issue. 

The BDO informed that Anoop Ojha was brought to this quarantine center about 10 days ago. He had gone to Rajasthan in search of livelihood. His patience broke down when the fourth phase of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown started and he returned to Bihar. He was subsequently kept at the quarantine center for 14 days before being allowed to go home. His quarantine time was completed on Thursday. Anoop was sent home on Thursday.

A report published by Harvard Medical School in 2018 says that stress can also affect food preferences. 

"If stress persists, the adrenal glands release another hormone called cortisol, and cortisol increases appetite and may also ramp up motivation in general, including the motivation to eat. Once a stressful episode is over, cortisol levels should fall, but if the stress doesn't go away — or if a person's stress response gets stuck in the "on" position — cortisol may stay elevated."

Several studies have also pointed out that stress can result in overeating.