Pan Xiaoting, a 24-year-old Chinese influencer, was known for her Mukbang live streams, which often lasted several hours.
According to local media, she died suddenly during a livestream on July 14. Her cause of death is suspected to be a stomach tear, which resulted from her devouring over 10kg of food, including chicken fingers, sea food, and chocolate.
During the post-mortem examination, coroners found her stomach filled with undigested food. Her abdominal area was also visibly deformed. They believe her stomach likely burst, which caused its contents as well as stomach acid to leak into her abdomen.
Pan, who is famous in China for her mukbangs, was broadcasting live to thousands of followers at the time of her death.
The 24-year-old had allegedly learned about the trend from a friend a few years ago. After finding out how much people were able to earn from the videos, she decided to get into it herself, quitting her waitressing job.
While she initially started off with small portions, they got bigger and bigger over time as her popularity grew on social media. Eventually, she found herself showered with gifts from her followers.
Her parents were allegedly against the decision as it was harmful to her body.
Even her followers began to express worry and concern as her portions got increasingly better. However, Pan repeatedly brushed off their concerns.
Not long afterward, she was hospitalized for a GI bleed. Despite that, she continued to livestream without breaks, continuing her videos just one day after she was discharged from the hospital.
What Are Mukbangs?
Mukbang is a trend that originated from South Korea; the word itself means ‘broadcast’ and ‘eat’ in Korean.
Over the years, however, the trend made its way to the U.S., with several Youtubers like Trisha Paytas and Nicholas Perry, better known as Nikocada Avocado, uploading their own mukbang videos.
The internet craze also made its way to TikTok, with many users recording themselves gorging on boxes upon boxes of takeout food.
Many people find these types of videos fascinating, however, expert have continously warned of its dangers – both for those who are overeating and those who are watching the videos.
Dr. Andrew Harris who teaches psychology, said these types of videos center around indulgence and consumption and can reinforce a cycle of unhealthy food relationsips.
While Mukbang content is officially banned in China, many content creators, such as Pan, bypass the rule by livestreaming the sessions.
Pan’s final food marathon, which lasted for 10 hours, took place on July 14. As she was binge eating her food, she collapsed suddenly. Viewers desperately tried to help but weren’t able to do much.
When she died, the majority of the food that she had eaten during the 10-hour-broadcast was still in her stomach.
According to Shelby Becker, a dietician who specializes in eating disorders, mukbang videos can normalize unhealthy eating patterns for those who already have an eating disorder.
