Pan Xiaoting, a 24-year-old Chinese live-streamer, died on July 14, 2024, while broadcasting a 10-hour eating marathon. Known for her participation in the mukbang trend, Xiaoting’s death has reignited concerns over the health risks associated with extreme eating. Mukbang, originating in South Korea, involves individuals eating large amounts of food while interacting with their audience.
Xiaoting, who was morbidly obese, gained thousands of followers by consuming enormous quantities of food on camera. On the day of her death, she ingested around 22 pounds of food, including cake, chicken fingers, and seafood. The broadcast ended abruptly when Xiaoting collapsed. Viewers attempted to provide remote assistance, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
An autopsy revealed that Xiaoting suffered from a severe stomach tear, causing stomach acid and undigested food to leak into her abdomen. Her stomach was severely deformed and filled with undigested food, underscoring the dangers of her extreme eating habits. She had been discharged from the hospital for gastric bleeding just weeks earlier but continued her dangerous eating sessions.
Although popular worldwide, the mukbang trend has drawn significant criticism from health professionals. Dr. Andrew Harris, a senior lecturer of psychology at Nottingham Trent University, stated, “Mukbang videos center on consumption and indulgence, potentially reinforcing a cycle of overeating or unhealthy food relationships.”
Health experts are concerned about the glorification of excessive eating. Registered dietitian Katie Lopez told DailyMail.com, “Regrettably, this situation exemplifies the glorification of self-destructive actions. Such individuals face serious health risks, including stomach ruptures, substantial increases in glucose and lipids, acid/base imbalances, electrolyte fluctuations, dehydration, and irregular heart rates.”
Other mukbang creators, such as Nicholas Perry (known as Nikocado Avocado) and Candy Godiva (known as Hungry Fat Chick), have also faced serious health issues due to their extreme eating habits. Perry, who began mukbang in 2017, has gained over 190 pounds and often consumes more than 10,000 calories per session. Godiva, with over 280,000 subscribers, has also experienced significant health problems.
Despite China’s ban on mukbang videos, content creators like Xiaoting circumvent restrictions by live-streaming their eating sessions. This loophole highlights the need for more stringent measures to prevent such dangerous practices.
Dr. Harris emphasized the potential for these videos to exacerbate unhealthy eating habits. “Some research indicates that viewing these videos can help reduce loneliness by creating a sense of social connection. However, other studies suggest that excessive watching may worsen loneliness by replacing genuine social interactions with shallow online ones,” he said.
Xiaoting’s history of stomach bleeding should have been a warning sign, but the lure of fame and pressure to entertain likely overshadowed her health concerns. Her death serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with extreme eating and the mukbang trend. Content creators and viewers must know the risks and promote healthier, more responsible content.