Health
Competitive eating trends may worsen diabetes burden — Nutritionists
Registered dietitian-nutritionists have warned that people who participate in food-eating competitions are, in the short term, at risk of choking, aspiration, bloating, pain and severe nausea.
Persons who constantly participate in such exercises, the nutritionists say, could suffer persistent stomach enlargement, leading to chronic bloating, suppressed gag reflex, which increases lifelong choking risk, as well as diabetes, obesity and eating disorders.
The experts noted that while food-eating competitions, which involve consuming large quantities of food within a very short time, are often portrayed as entertainment, rapid overeating overwhelms the digestive system, disrupts the body’s natural hunger and fullness signals, and increases the risk of gastrointestinal injuries.
In interviews with PUNCH Healthwise, the seasoned nutrition experts stressed that people living with obesity, diabetes, and other digestive disorders who participate in food-eating contests are at greater risk of worsening their existing conditions.
The nutritionists therefore urged members of the public to approach eating competitions with caution, urging organisers, media outlets, and social media platforms to stop presenting eating contests as entertainment.
Food-eating contests, also known as competitive or speed-eating competitions, are common in Nigeria, especially at parties, product launches and on social media, where participants race to consume food within the shortest time, often for cash prizes or other rewards.
Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, a Chief Dietitian Nutritionist, Olufunmilola Ogunmiluyi, explained that the stomach’s primary function is to temporarily store food, mix it with digestive juices and gradually release it into the small intestine for nutrient absorption.
She noted that although an adult stomach typically holds between one and 1.5 litres of food and liquid after a meal, it can expand to accommodate up to four litres in extreme situations, which may cause discomfort and place undue strain on the digestive organs.
Ogunmiluyi noted that consuming unusually large amounts of food within a short period places the body under significant stress, causing bloating, pain and an intense feeling of fullness, while prolonged retention of food in the stomach can lead to indigestion, nausea, heartburn and acid reflux.
“A very full stomach can push upward against the diaphragm, making breathing feel uncomfortable. Large meals can also cause rapid rises in blood glucose and large releases of insulin,” the nutritionist stated.
The registered dietitian nutritionist further warned that “frequent consumption of very large meals can increase the stomach’s ability to expand, allowing it to hold much more food than usual.
“Repeated overeating may interfere with hunger and fullness signals, making it harder to recognise when you are full or hungry. Some competitive eaters train themselves to ignore normal satiety cues.”
Ogunmiluyi added that long-term consequences may include insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, elevated cholesterol levels, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
She stressed that “children and older adults may not tolerate extreme stomach stretching as well. People with diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, stomach disorders and pregnant women are also at higher risk.
“Anyone with swallowing problems or neurological conditions has a higher risk of choking, while people with eating disorders may worsen unhealthy behaviours through competitive eating.”
The dietitian stressed that food-eating competitions are and should not be regarded as a safe way to enjoy food, stating that the activity exposes the body to injury and an unhealthy lifestyle.
She urged participants, organisers and spectators to immediately seek medical attention once a competitor experiences severe or worsening abdominal pain, a swollen, hard abdomen that continues to enlarge, repeated vomiting, difficulty breathing, chest pain, fainting, rapid heartbeat, inability to pass gas or stool, or fever with abdominal pain after overeating.
Ogunmiluyi added, “These events encourage eating far beyond the body’s normal needs. The goal is speed and quantity rather than nutrition, which can overwhelm the digestive system and increase the risk of injury.
“Most people repeatedly participating in food-eating competitions end up not being healthy.”
Also, a Consultant Dietitian and Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigerian Dietitians, Lagos State, Dtn Charles Oguikpe, said competitive eating stretches the body far beyond its natural limits, leading to immediate risks like choking, stomach rupture, and oesophageal tears.
He stated that repeated participation in food-eating contests can cause long-term digestive and metabolic damage.
Explaining what happens during rapid overeating, Oguikpe said, “Stomach expansion: The stomach can stretch far beyond normal capacity, sometimes holding several litres of food.
“Oesophageal stress: Poorly chewed food may lodge in the oesophagus, risking choking or tears.
“Digestive overload: Food piles up faster than the stomach can process, causing nausea, vomiting, and reflux.
“Hormonal disruption: Signals of satiety are overridden, confusing appetite regulation systems,” he stated.
The registered dietitian further stated that the contestants could have a stomach rupture or perforation, explaining that extreme distension of the stomach can cause tissue death and leakage into the abdominal cavity.
He added that such persons could suffer severe nausea, bloating, and pain immediately after the competitions.
Oguikpe warned that constant participation in food-eating contests could cause permanent stomach enlargement, leading to the loss of elasticity, chronic bloating and delayed emptying (gastroparesis) of the stomach.
He noted that they could suffer a suppressed gag reflex, which increases lifelong choking risk as well as metabolic disruption, leading to altered hunger/fullness cues, risk of obesity, diabetes, and GERD.
The registered dietitian stated that such individuals could develop eating disorders.
The nutrition expert added that people living with obesity, diabetes and existing digestive disorders who participate in food-eating competitions may suffer increased symptoms.
He urged participants and spectators to seek urgent medical attention if warning signs develop after a competition.
“Warning signs not to ignore include severe chest or abdominal pain, difficulty breathing or swallowing, persistent vomiting or blood in vomit, and sudden collapse,” Oguikpe stressed.
He called for public awareness on the dangers of competitive eating to ensure that people who participate in such contests understand the risks involved.
“People should know that food-eating competitions are not harmless fun; they carry real health risks. Eating extreme amounts in a short time can cause choking, stomach rupture, and severe digestive distress.
“Repeated participation may disrupt appetite regulation, damage the stomach, and increase risks of obesity, diabetes, and reflux.
“From a public health standpoint, these contests should be approached with caution, and anyone considering them should understand the dangers and avoid glamorising them,” Oguikpe added.
Copyright PUNCH
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
