Chinese national mukbanger, 24, dies of cardiac arrest after repeated binge eating and self-induced vomiting

Chen Ziyi, a Chinese mukbang influencer also known as Yingying, passed away at the age of 24 on August 17, 2023, after a series of health issues related to extreme eating habits, such as binge eating and self-induced vomiting. She had amassed over one million followers by creating content featuring herself eating large quantities of food during live streams.

Yingying's parents confirmed her death on September 4, noting that she had died on August 17. Her final video, uploaded on August 14, featured her speaking from a hospital bed, where she revealed that her potassium level had dropped to 2.3 mmol/L due to her repeated overeating and vomiting.

Yingying's career was significantly influenced by pressure from product sponsors pushing her to consume more food to generate sales, leading to the development of dangerous eating patterns. She had previously been hospitalized due to similar health issues and openly discussed the stress that sponsorships put on her body. One of her livestreams involved her consuming 60 to 70 preserved eggs, and she admitted to regularly inducing vomiting after meals.

Her death was attributed to cardiac arrest caused by low potassium levels, though her family has not officially confirmed the medical cause of her passing.

Dr. Chai Qichen from Zhejiang Hospital explained that low potassium levels can severely impact the heart, potentially leading to dangerous heart rhythms or a heart attack, known as cardiac arrest. Yingying's case has brought renewed attention to the dangers of extreme eating content, which is becoming increasingly popular among mukbang creators who strive to attract a larger audience and generate more revenue through advertising income and livestream sales.

Similar to Yingying, other creators have consumed excessive amounts of food in short periods, leading to severe health consequences. For instance, one influencer reportedly ate 20 to 25 kilograms of food within two hours, while another consumed 120 potstickers and 16 packets of instant noodles. These extreme eating habits have contributed to serious health problems, including obesity-related issues.

Moreover, some creators have been accused of exaggerating their consumption, both of food and alcohol, which can mislead viewers about the reality of extreme eating. This deception not only impacts the creators' health but also creates a false sense of what the practice entails. Behind the camera, the physical toll of extreme eating can be devastating, as evidenced by several deaths linked to this trend.

Paopaolong, a 29-year-old influencer, died from heart failure after his weight reached 160 kilograms, while Wenweige continued to make high-intensity eating videos despite having end-stage kidney disease and requiring regular dialysis. Sanqiange, an alcohol livestreamer, also passed away after reportedly consuming four bottles of baijiu during a livestream competition.

These tragic cases highlight the physical risks of extreme eating and how the financial incentives tied to the content can push creators to maintain their risky behaviors despite the harm it causes. China has taken steps to address the issue by implementing the 2021 Anti-Food Waste Law, which prohibits content that encourages excessive food consumption, and a 2022 code for online streamers that bans staged eating, binge eating, and forced vomiting.

However, Yingying's death serves as a stark reminder of the difficulty in separating online entertainment from the tangible physical costs of such extreme behaviors.