Competitive eating

Competitive eating, or speed eating, is a sport in which participants compete against each other to consume large quantities of food in a short time period. Contests are typically eight to ten minutes long, although some competitions can last up to thirty minutes, with the person consuming the most food being declared the winner. Competitive eating is most popular in the United States, Canada, and Japan, where organized professional eating contests often offer prizes, including cash.

Traditionally, eating contests, often involving pies, were events at county fairs. The recent surge in the popularity of competitive eating is due in large part to the development of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, an annual holiday tradition that has been held on July 4 virtually every year since the 1970s at Coney Island. In 2001, Takeru Kobayashi transformed the competition and the world of competitive eating by downing 50 hot dogs – smashing the previous record (25.5). The event generates enormous media attention and has been aired on ESPN for the past eight years, contributing to the growth of the competitive eating phenomenon. Takeru Kobayashi won it consistently from 2001 through 2006. He was dethroned in 2007 by Joey Chestnut. In 2008, Chestnut and Kobayashi tied at 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes (the time span had previously been 12 minutes), and Chestnut won in an eat off in which he was the first of the two competitors to finish eating 5 hot dogs in overtime, earning Chestnut his second consecutive title. Chestnut still holds the world record of 69 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes for the 2013 competition. Kobayashi holds six Guinness Records, for eating hot dogs, meatballs, Twinkies, hamburgers, and pizza. He competed in hot dog contests in 2011 and 2012 and claimed to have eaten 68 and 69. Kobayashi goes on to say that he completed this by drinking lots and lots of liquid for a few days before the event before not eating anything all day on the event. The current champion is Joey Chestnut, with a total of 70 hot dogs and buns eaten on July 4, 2016.

All Pro Eating is the only Independent Competitive Eating organization in the world and also officially sanctions competitive eating contests.

All Pro Eating differs from the IFOCE with its adherence to "picnic style" competitive eating rules in addition to being the most recognized competitive eating organization that allows independent competitive eaters to participate (independent competitive eaters are not under any contractual obligation). Picnic style rules pay "respect to the food and maintains the integrity and dignity and public reputation of that food item." Under these rules, the league forbids the dunking of any contest foods in water, a practice used by almost every IFOCE eater at IFOCE events, and one believed to speed the chewing and swallowing process. All Pro Eating Promotions is the only competitive eating organization that provides sanctioned independent competitive eating events that specifically follow picnic style rules.

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