In a tragic turn of events, a 24-year-old extreme eater passed away during a food binge livestream.
Popular Chinese influencer, Pan Xiaoting’s eating sessions could last up to 10 hours and see her chow down on approximately 10kg of food. Despite warnings from her worried parents and viewers, Xiaoting continued filming the extreme videos and died on July 14 after setting up one of her livestreams, reports the Daily Star.
An autopsy report revealed her cause of death was linked to a “deformed” stomach chalked full of “undigested food.” Xiaoting’s perilous eating sprees were part of her participation in Mukbang livestreams – an internet trend originating from South Korea mid-2000s, which involves hosts consuming enormous quantities of food while interacting with their viewers.
China News reported that Xiaoting was known for her lengthy videos. She had been hospitalized in the past for gastrointestinal bleeding; however, she relentlessly carried on with her hazardous broadcasts.
Her sudden death provoked mixed reactions across social media. Some users blamed her tragic end on her over-indulgence, labeling her “literally a victim of gluttony” while highlighting that it displayed the dangerous lengths individuals resort to for online fame.
Others directed their criticism towards the glorification of such risky challenges. One bewildered commenter said, “I’ll never understand why anyone would want to watch someone eat.”
Another user expressed their sorrow, stating: “That’s terrible. Why do people try and glorify obesity these days? ” Yet another reflected on the broader implications of this incident: “When you think that there are people dying of hunger… it’s maddening.”
In 2020, China put into effect regulations to curb excessive eating in Mukbang content, with streamers facing penalties if they violate the rules. The country introduced penalties to food service operators who encouraged customers to “order excessive meals and obvious waste” after China’s leader Xi Jinping described waste as “shameful”.
Breaking the rules could result in fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,376). Experts have warned Mukbang videos are spreading a dangerous message about health.
Source: https://www.themirror.com/news/world-news/extreme-eater-24-dies-during-607141