Japan ‘big stomach’ competitive eater, who ate 100 burgers at one sitting, retires at 40
‘Cute and slim’ Japanese eating phenomenon who recently took time out to recover from ‘mental illness’ set to quit, spend life with pet cats
A world famous eating influencer from Japan has said she is set to quit competitive eating for health and age reasons.
The announcement by Yuka Kinoshita was released online on February 1, just months after she made a comeback on social media following a seven-month hiatus.
She had spent that time confined at home suffering from bipolar affective disorder.
“I will turn 40 on February 4 and it is really hard for me to continue working as a big eater,” Kinoshita said on a major social media platform where she has 5.2 million followers.
“I am very exhausted. My health has deteriorated over the years. It is no problem to eat like a normal person, but I will feel tired even when I am not full. So I am afraid I cannot eat as much as before,” she added.
Her career as a “big stomach king” began in 2009 on the Japanese reality show The Battle of Big Eaters, which she did not win but attracted attention for the contrast between her massive consumption of food and her slim stature and cute smile.