Don't Copy Viral Car Mukbangs, Warn Experts

Mimicking viral mukbang videos, where content creators eat in their cars, could make your car a "bacterial breeding ground" and disrupt digestion, experts have warned. Mukbangs are a viral trend online where creators eat on camera; the word "mukbang" comes from a mashup of the Korean words "meokda," meaning "to eat," and "bangsong," meaning "broadcast." The trend began as a way to simulate sharing a meal with someone to combat loneliness in South Korea. Now, many viral mukbang videos feature content creators eating foods that are highly unhealthy, in large quantities, peculiarly textured—or anything else that they hope will attract viewers. Many of these videos—677 million on them on TikTok—also take place in cars, for instance shortly after picking up fast food from a drive thru. No one believes that the type and quantity of food consumed in many car mukbang videos is indicative of a nutritious diet, but experts have warned that the trend might be unhealthy in other ways too.

Medical science lecturer Dr. Gareth Nye, in a statement provided to Newsweek by Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, said: "Eating in the car will ultimately lead to deposits of food material being spread around." "The obvious example is crumbs but transfer from your hands and deposits from spit through talking and chewing will transfer the perfect bacterial breeding ground around your car." Nye said that a recent study found nearly 1,500 different bacteria in cars up for sale, with significant bacterial loads on the driver's seat, dashboard and steering wheel. The study found large amounts of E. coli and Staphylococcus in the cars; bacteria that can make us sick. Dr. Sham Singh, a health expert at WINIT Clinic, said: "Eating or storing food in a car can often result in spills and crumbs, which many harbor bacteria, mold or attract pests if not cleaned thoroughly. "This can create an unsanitary environment, not only for eating in but also for maintaining good health and hygiene." Sapna Peruvemba, a dietitian at Health by Sapna, told Newsweek that sometimes eating in the car was unavoidable, "but mindful eating, where you savor your food and minimize distractions, is key to staying satisfied and avoiding overeating." "Plus, road trips can mean relying on fast food or less nutritious options." She recommended bringing portable, nutritious snacks such as trail mix, nuts, apple slices, clementines and veggie sticks with dip. Dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine agreed, telling Newsweek: "Eating in the car can often lead to rushed meals, which may hinder proper digestion and make it harder to tune into hunger and fullness cues, potentially leading to overeating. It's also common to grab convenience foods, which are often ultra-processed." Nutritional therapist Catherine Jeans, from The Family Nutrition Expert, told Newsweek: "When we're on long car journeys, we often end up eating less nourishing foods, due to boredom—chocolates, sugary and salty foods give us a dopamine boost." "We might even cause maldigestion in the car, not only because we tend to overeat and not chew it properly, but also because of how we're sitting for long periods of time, which isn't great for the digestion either." Jeans recommended taking the time to stop, eat and focus on your food if you need to eat in the car, making sure to sit upright and taking the time to chew properly, before heading back to the road. Nutritional therapist Kate Taylor, from Eat Drink Think Nutrition, told Newsweek that, while eating at a dinner table was ideal, there were ways to make eating in a car healthier, such as taking time to relax beforehand and prioritizing posture. "An upright posture is the most conducive for steady breathing, swallowing and...the muscular movement of food along the digestive tract," she said. "Whilst everyone will have their car seat angled slightly differently, many may not have it optimally upright—therefore, eating from a car seat may not offer the most effective or efficient digestive support." Taylor warned that eating large amounts of fast food in the car was particularly harmful because it led to blood sugar spikes and energy fluctuations, which could lead to sleepiness at the wheel. Do you have a tip on a food story that Newsweek should be covering? Is there a nutrition concern that's worrying you? Let us know via science@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured in Newsweek.