Competitive eating is a sport whose main goal is the quick and vast consumption of food. The type of food varies, although it is primarily focussed on fast-food. One commonly used item is hot dogs. This sport is male-dominated, although there are a handful of women gurgitators, notably Sonya Thomas. A big belly isn't necessarily an advantage in the sport, as physical fitness plays an important factor too in the upper spheres of the professional circuit.

The sport is most popular in the USA. Eating contests are often held as part of a county fair in the United States, and as such are very popular in some rural areas. The governing body is the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE).

Other eating contests can involve challenges to eat a very large food item, such as a giant pizza or a massive hamburger, in a relatively short amount of time. Often, if the challenge is put on by a restaurant, the prize is that the winner does not have to pay for the large amount of food they just consumed.

The culture of competitive eating is elucidated in the documentary film Crazy Legs Conti: Zen And The Art Of Competitive Eating, directed by Danielle Franco and Chris Kenneally .

The most famous competitive eater is Takeru Kobayashi.

Criticisms of competitive eating

The intake into the body of vast amounts of food over a small time is not recommended without safety measures, and competitive eating can lead to stomach pains, obesity and botulism.

External links

The official IFOCE homepage