Extreme eater, 24, dies during livestream of 10-hour food binge after her stomach ripped open
23 July 2024, 07:55
A 24-year-old live-streamer died during an online broadcast of a 10-hour binge eating challenge.
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Pan Xiaoting died after gorging on cake, chicken fingers and seafood in front of thousands of her followers.
The woman, from China, died from a suspected stomach tear while eating up to 10kg of food.
According to reports, her autopsy revealed her stomach had been severely deformed and was filled with undigested food at the time of her death.
Her stomach is believed to have burst.
Xiaoting was famous for live streams where she ate huge mountains of food - known as a Mukbang challenge. The trend originated in South Korea.
She began her 10-hour eating live-stream on July 14 when she collapsed. Viewers tried to send help but it was not enough to save her.
Xiaoting, who worked as a waitress, started eating live on social media after being inspired by a friend.
She would eat alone in front of a camera and managed to garner a massive fan following.
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According to Hankyung.com, Xiaoting was hospitalised due to gastrointestinal bleeding after she took up the challenge. However, she started a new round of binge-eating the day after she was discharged. She died on July 14.
Online platforms in China have censored and removed binge-eating content after a law was passed banning the practice.
However the online videos still continue to emerge.
“I feel so bad for people that do these to fill their cravings for views and attention,” one person wrote online.
Another said: “Mukbang absolutely disgusts me.”
Dr Andrew Harris , a senior lecturer of psychology at Nottingham Trent University in the UK, said: “Mukbang videos center around consumption and indulgence, potentially reinforcing a cycle of overeating or unhealthy food relationships.”
