A Turkish internet celebrity, known for his excessive eating broadcasts, gained high popularity but also faced health issues due to unhealthy eating habits, ultimately passing away at the young age of 24 due to various obesity-related complications.
According to Türkiye Today, Efecan Kultur, the influencer famous for eating broadcasts, amassed over 156,000 followers on TikTok but also gained excessive weight and developed several obesity-related complications due to his eating behavior.
Kultur was hospitalized due to these complications, but his health did not improve. After three months of treatment, he tragically passed away on March 7.
The New York Post reported that despite Kultur’s millions of views on TikTok, he faced health issues such as difficulty breathing, which led him to bed rest and forced him to stop his live broadcasts.
Kultur posted his last eating broadcast video on TikTok on October 15 last year, where he announced he was on a diet to avoid excessive salt intake.
Turkey’s government, taking note of Kultur’s high-profile death, has issued a warning to young people about the dangers of watching eating broadcasts and is considering legislation to prohibit minors under 16 from using social media.
The trend of “mukbang,” originating from South Korea, where hosts interact with viewers while consuming large amounts of food, poses significant health risks, especially for young individuals seeking popularity on social media.
As this form of internet broadcasting spreads globally, influencers from other countries, including Kultur and the late Chinese influencer Pan Xiaoting, have started producing mukbang content.
Pan Xiaoting, who tragically died last year after consuming approximately 10 kilograms of food in a 10-hour eating broadcast, suffered from various health issues, just like Kultur, and passed away at the age of 24.
Experts have warned about mukbang. Andrew Harris, a senior lecturer in psychology at Nottingham Trent University, told the Daily Mail that mukbang videos centered on consumption and indulgence could exacerbate unhealthy eating habits and lead to a vicious cycle.
Gareth Nye, a senior lecturer at the University of Chester Medical School, told the Daily Star that watching individuals consume unhealthy food is a concerning trend that could have negative impacts on the next generation.
Nye believes that viewers of mukbang shows may become fixated on pathological infatuation or disgust as a result.