Eating contests can be dangerous

First of all, you should know eating contests can be dangerous; there are risks of choking as well as the possibility of other complications. Always make sure EMT's and an ambulance is on site before starting the contest.Eating contests should be discouraged, as they are not in good taste and can go "horribly wrong"and end in tragedy.


Chinese steamed buns filled with cheese and eggs

A student at the Tayeh University in western Taiwan has died right after winning an eating contest at a university campus, apparently choking on Chinese steamed buns filled with cheese and eggs.
Local newspapers United Daily News (UDN) say 23-year-old Chen Chun-ying dashed to the bathroom after swallowing two buns in one minute.
The graduate student may have eaten too fast rather than too much, a campus publicist said.
Other students found him lying on the floor soon afterward.
The papers say Chen was rushed to hospital but failed to respond to resuscitation efforts.
As competition winner, Chen would have won $T2,000 ($60).

Taiwan has cancelled or suspended several eating competitions after Chen Chun-ying died from suffocation in an eating contest, a newspaper said.
Doctors confirmed that he died from suffocation caused by swallowing too much food.
Chen's parents said they are saddened by their son's death, and hope such dangerous competitions should not be held.
Currently there are 13 eating competitions being held or planned across Taiwan, organised by local governments, agriculture associations or restaurant chains.
They range from eating pork rice, noodles or fruits, or drinking milk and bear.
The contests are held for fun or to promote local products or the restaurants' food. Most of these contests are open to people of all ages, including primary school pupils.
But after Chen died, half of these contests have been cancelled or suspended.

The UDN quoted Yang Yu-hui, an official from the Education Ministry, as banning schools from holding eating competitions.
"The Tsinghua University once held a drinking and eating competition. The contestants had to drink coke, eat meat dumplings and fried rice and drink beer. Won't the contestants' bellies explode? What's the point of proving you have the biggest stomach?" she asked.