Mukbang: The rise of eating videos and why dietitians are concerned

If you use YouTube or TikTok, you might have seen a category of videos called 'Mukbang,' which is a combination of the Korean terms for "broadcast" and "eating."

Mukbang, as the name suggests, entails witnessing a lone host consume a substantial quantity of food.

While the trend is making influencers and binge eaters wealthy, health experts warn that the videos are spreading an alarming wrong message about health.

Dr Easther Ateka, a nutritionist, says it is reckless to think that the implications of unhealthy eating habits will not catch up with you.

“Why would anyone think that they can get away with eating exorbitant amounts without it catching up with you? Unfortunately, these videos encourage overconsumption but shy away from addressing the potential consequences such as emotional eating, stomach upset, elevated eating disorder and chronic diseases," she explained.

This trendy eating shows have content creators sharing videos of eating mostly junk fatty foods sometimes for over an hour.

The nutritionist points out that seeing videos like this on a regular basis may negatively affect your attitude towards food, particularly if you have an eating disorder or an already tense connection with nutrition.

“While the videos may still catch the interest of people who are scrolling past, the cases of eating disorders are higher than ever, especially among adolescents and young adults. Watching mukbang could also negatively impact people on the other side of the disordered eating spectrum— those who partake in emotional eating and those with a tendency to under-consume, as is the case with anorexia,” she said.

According to her, it is quite okay to enjoy eating and even to watch others eat. However, nutritionists claim that mukbang alters a perfectly natural pleasure into something that can be harmful.

"Mukbang videos show viewers audiovisual footage of people eating food in quantities that are typically associated with binges," Dr Ateka who deals with eating disorder told Citizen Digital.

“People with eating disorders or disordered eating may be impacted by the normalisation of these behaviours because they may be seen as appropriate forms of consumption."

Dr Ateka adds that the unrealistic portions attached to Mukbang content creators who are sitting there every day consuming all kind of unhealthy portions is dangerous and considers it a dangerous form of entertainment for people who enjoy such content.

“As much as there is a need for viewers to be cautious when consuming this kind of content, Mukbang content creators should take caution. Eating such huge portions repeatedly is potentially problematic and will have implications like obesity and binge eating habits and chronic diseases,” she said.

She also cautioned that the pressure to maintain their personalities and win over fans can have a major negative impact on the mental health of content creators.

“It is imperative that online spaces be far more sensitive because it can be quite upsetting for those who have a history of eating disorders or who are now struggling with eating disorders," she said.

Perhaps some of the most famous Kenyan TikTokers that have amassed massive loyal followings due to this kind of content are Boina and Kabuda.

The two have posted numerous videos of themselves eating large quantities of food in one sitting, winning them over a large fanbase and bagging themselves lucrative endorsement deals in the process.