Eating Contests: Manage the Risk While Preserving the Fun

Competitive eating — a race to see who can eat the most food in a limited time — is an increasingly popular form of entertainment on campus, and often used as a fundraising event for student groups. But it can be dangerous. Even professional participants have choked, vomited, suffered stomach damage, and asphyxiated, resulting in death.

United Educators (UE) has handled claims involving students injured during or after an eating contest. While professional competitive eaters train for their events, students may be unprepared to participate safely. As a result, some institutions have banned these contests. Others require the contests be conducted on campus so oversight can be provided.

Beyond forbidding or discouraging these events, you can take these actions to help minimize the risk of injury:

• Require event registration. Require that any eating contest, no matter when held or for what purpose, be an officially registered event subject to your events policy’s rules policy, including insurance requirements. For best practices around campus events, see UE’s Checklist: Risk Management for Campus Student Events.
• Require signed waivers. While a waiver doesn’t prevent potential injury, it notifies participants of the dangers eating contests pose and may protect your institution from liability if someone is injured. Follow Boston University’s example and tailor the waiver to eating contests and list general risks. Also, require participants to certify they’re in good health and able to participate in the contest.
• Ban alcohol. Drinking alcohol before or during the contest may impair participants’ judgment about their bodies’ reactions to consuming high volumes of food. It may increase risk of injury. Don’t allow alcohol service before, during, or after the event.
• Warn of allergens. In addition to choosing foods that are easy to digest, try avoiding those containing common allergens. To avoid cross-contamination, commercial kitchens should prepare food for eating contests. Some institutions require that campus dining services prepare it. Prominently post warnings of potential allergens, such as peanuts. Offer allergen-free options to students with food allergies.
• Ensure medical personnel presence due to the choking potential. In addition to having on-site emergency response, have a dedicated phone available for calling 911 if more help is needed.
• Require a monitor. Appoint a person (or more, depending on the number of participants) to monitor participants for signs of distress during the contest. Give this person authority to call for medical intervention or to end participation in the contest.

More From UE

Checklist: Risk Management for Campus Student Events

Student Organizations and Activities: Managing the Risks

Additional Resources

Boston University: Eating Contest Waiver

University of New Haven: Eating Contest Waiver

University of Wisconsin-Madison: Student Organization Resources & Policy Guide — Risk Management

Drexel University: Office of Campus Activities Policies and Procedures Manual

Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Student Organization Manual (Eating Contests Policy, p. 21)