China tries to shift appetite for extreme eating shows, China News
Extreme eating shows in China have included people eating as many cups of instant noodles as possible, devouring dumplings and wolfing down hamburgers.
The statement from China's Consumer Association is the latest effort to curb people's appetite for online eating shows, which remain widely streamed in the world's second largest economy even after attempts to more tightly regulate the industry in 2020.
The shows attract hoards of followers who are keen to watch people consuming copious amounts of food, including very spicy dishes.
Some online platforms are "now full of extreme eating shows, which use the food intake that challenges the physiological limits of human beings," the statement said.
"Not only does it seriously deviate from the true connotation of food culture, but it also causes heartbreaking food waste."
The shows trample on China's traditional virtues of diligence and thrift, the association added, and also spread "unhealthy and irrational" ideas about eating that could harm young people.
"Every porridge and every meal should be thought of as hard-earned," it said.
China in 2020 strengthened regulation and banned clips that promoted food waste. It passed a law in 2021 to combat food waste while last year authorities also unveiled an action plan to boost food production while reducing waste.
The association urged consumers not to follow, like, or forward extreme eating shows and actively block related accounts or channels.
Show creators must refuse waste and not plan, produce, or publish extreme eating content, it said.
"The focus of creation should be shifted to exploring the cultural connotation of the true nature of food." The statement comes a week after Beijing ordered some civil servants not to dine out in groups of more than three after deaths linked to excessive alcohol consumption at banquets.
China is also battling rising obesity, particularly among children, after physical activity dropped during the Covid-19 pandemic and people ordered more fast food online.
[[nid:719185]]
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Inside the $109 million renovation of Central Park's home for Shakespeare
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The Delacorte Theater has been the home of Free Shakespeare In The Park for 63 years. NEW YORK – At the heart of Central Park, nestled among the trees , sits the Delacorte Theater. For 63 years, it has been the home of Free Shakespeare In The Park, one of the great treasures of New York's cultural life. The theatre has charm and tradition, but the facilities have been sub-standard, particularly for performers and stagehands, as well as patrons with disabilities. About a decade ago, the staff and board of the Public Theater, which runs the Delacorte, began discussing a renovation. Some crazy ideas were bandied about, such as geothermal cooling and a dome for year-round performances. But with the Covid-19 pandemic came pragmatism . Making any kind of radical change inside Central Park was going to be challenging, if not impossible, given the romantic and nostalgic attachment many of the park's lovers and protectors have to keeping things the way they are. So, the Public pivoted to a combination of preservation and polish – a renovation that would look much the same, but function much better. 'There was absolutely no way to improve the experience once you're sitting in the grandstand. You're outside, in Central Park, the moon is rising over the stage, Belvedere Castle is in the background, a breeze is hopefully blowing, and that's the magic of the theatre, and that will not have changed at all,' said Mr Patrick Willingham, the Public's executive director. 'But externally, the experience has been elevated.' After two years during which the open-air amphitheatre has been closed for a US$85 million (S$109 million) upgrade, the venue is reopening , with modifications and modernisations to improve the experience for audiences, performers and stage crews . Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Life How do household bomb shelters in Singapore really work? Asia Johor authorities seize four Singapore-registered vehicles over illegal e-hailing Singapore Sengkang-Punggol LRT line resumes full service 4 hours after power fault brings trains to a halt Singapore Owners call for stronger management rules in ageing condos, but seek to avoid being overburdened Asia Japan's PM Ishiba mentions wartime 'regret', toeing right-wing line Asia Beijing-Manila row over collision of Chinese ships chasing Filipino boat a reminder of geopolitical risk There is better signage. More capacious seats. Decent dressing rooms. And, yes, better bathrooms. The project was funded half by local government, and half by private fund-raising. And the Public is raising another US$90 million to preserve and endow the free performances of Shakespeare In The Park, as well as the Public's other free programming, like its Mobile Unit, which brings theatre to neighbourhood locations , and its Public Works programme, in which amateur performers from the city's five boroughs create shows with professional actors and creative teams . The Public Theater, a non-profit, previously called the New York Shakespeare Festival, has presented more than 160 shows on the 22m-wide stage since 1962. One hidden change: There are now modular traps built into that stage floor for easier movement of actors and set pieces. The reopened theatre, where performances of Twelfth Night began in August, has 1,864 seats – about a dozen fewer than before. Some seats were lost to make the venue more accessible. Others were added in the new back row. And many are bigger to acknowledge the growing girth of Americans. The theatre's rustic facade got a glow-up. Pre-renovation, it was cedar shiplap. Now, it is tongue-and-groove redwood. That redwood comes with its own backstory: It is from 25 reclaimed city water towers. The Delacorte Theater's new facade is made of redwood from reclaimed water towers. PHOTO: SARA KRULWICH/NYTIMES The Delacorte also has a slightly different shape. Previously, it resembled a cylinder, with the exterior wall perpendicular to the ground. Now, it is more like a cone, with the exterior wall tilting outwards. There are symbolic reasons – it is intended to feel more welcoming – and practical advantages – it can accommodate more seats. A canopy goes around the whole facade, from 1.8m to 4.8m deep. Aesthetically, it creates more of a grand entrance for the theatre. Practically, it offers more cover for patrons to duck under if it starts to rain during a performance . The theatre should be accessible to people with disabilities. There are more ramps, better seating positions for wheelchair users and a lift to the sound booth. The dressing rooms – below the grandstand – have been significantly upgraded. 'It was very primitive before, with cinder block and Formica, and bathrooms I could describe only as gross,' Mr Willingham said. A dressing room at the newly renovated Delacorte Theater. PHOTO: SARA KRULWICH/NYTIMES The crew area – a so-called Klondike village of temporary sheds next to the theatre for use by costume, tech and other backstage workers – is also nicer. The six lighting towers were all replaced, as were the web of speakers and the sound-and-light control booth. Challenges remain. The weather, of course: Climate change has made outdoor performance more difficult. The raccoons too – there is a long history of raccoons traversing the Delacorte grounds, sometimes during performances. Though there is a new barrier to keep them from burrowing under the seats, there is not much to be done in the open-air portion. And then there are the helicopters, a noise nuisance that policymakers are promising to study. The open-air stage being prepared for a rehearsal at the renovated Delacorte Theater. PHOTO: SARA KRULWICH/NYTIMES One of the major construction challenges was preserving the many trees surrounding the theatre – some more than a century old. The Public worked with the Central Park Conservancy and hired arborists to help with protection, trimming and planning. A particular concern was avoiding putting too much weight on root systems. An improvement that will be of intense interest to many theatregoers: The Central Park Conservancy, which operates the public bathrooms by the theatre, is in the final stages of a US$8 million renovation of the facilities. (There are temporary restrooms.) The granite structure, built in 1912 in the English Gothic style, was once called the Belvedere comfort station. The bathroom has been given a new slate roof, restored masonry and new doors and windows , and some architectural features that had gone missing have been replaced . There are also new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and the The new women's restroom has nearly double the number of fixtures. The structure housing the bathrooms has been given a new slate roof, restored masonry, and new doors and windows. PHOTO: SARA KRULWICH/NYTIMES Most of the women in New York have not seen the first 10 minutes of the second act of any Shakespeare play for the last 50 years, joked Mr Oskar Eustis, the Public's artistic director. 'It's just absolutely necessary for gender equality that we double the number of female stalls in that bathroom.' NYTIMES
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Your S'pore Story: ‘Our love story started with bubble tea'
In the thick of the Covid-19 pandemic, a small act of kindness sparked a lasting connection between these two healthcare professionals From socially distanced gestures to shared resilience, Ms Rebecca Fam and her husband Mr Coeway Thng's relationship took root in the heart of a global crisis. Bubble tea in a hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic – that was how their love story began. It may not be the kind of romantic synopsis most people dream of, but for Ms Rebecca Fam and her husband Mr Coeway Thng, both currently in their early 30s, their workplace set the scene for an unlikely connection. Watch their video here. In 2020, they were both healthcare workers navigating the uncertainty of a global health crisis. Somewhere between masked hellos in hospital corridors and the occasional shared glance, something quietly began to grow. What followed were days of socially distanced affection – from exchanging encouraging messages to thoughtful gift packages passed along by a helpful cleaner. Now married with a new addition to the family, Ms Fam shares her side of their love story – and how their relationship blossomed during one of Singapore's darkest chapters. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 2 dead after fire in Jalan Bukit Merah flat, about 60 evacuated Singapore TB screenings at two pre-schools after staff member diagnosed in July Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Opinion The 30s are heavy: Understanding suicide among Singapore's young adults Singapore Lawyer who sent misleading letters to 22 doctors fails in bid to quash $18,000 penalty Business Haidilao to close Clarke Quay outlet on Aug 31; exit follows 3 earlier outlet closures Singapore Jail, caning for recalcitrant drug offender who assaulted 2 cops with stun device Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story The couple is now writing the next chapter of their lives as parents to their eight-month-old daughter. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA 'Our love story started with bubble tea. I was a junior physiotherapist at the hospital when I first noticed Coeway, who was then a junior doctor. Although he looked sloppy, there was a gentleness and kindness about him when he spoke to patients and allied health workers – it was hard not to notice. This was two to three years before the pandemic happened. At the time, we didn't know each other well. Our paths crossed again during the Covid-19 pandemic. I found out that he had volunteered to help out on the front line and I thought that was very brave of him. I was surprised when he said 'hi' to me one day in the hospital lobby and even remembered my name. We didn't really exchange conversation then, but he dropped me a Facebook message asking me if I would like bubble tea. This was during the circuit breaker period, so nobody else had bubble tea in Singapore! I'm lactose intolerant and couldn't drink it, so I thought the conversation would just end there. But we continued chatting online for a week. Since then, we'd send encouraging messages and photos of little gift packages to each other. We couldn't meet in person, so I got an aunty who worked as a cleaner at the hospital to pass Coeway a note and some chocolates. Thank you, aunty, for facilitating our love! It was nice to have those moments to look forward to during that period. Now that we have an eight-month-old baby, we are in a new phase of our lives – everything is so different but we will never forget where it all started. Sometimes we do lose focus – we are both workaholics, and there are times when Coeway can't reply to my messages because he's in surgery. But as healthcare workers, we understand each other's daily struggles better. Coeway has been doing such a great job being there for the family. He's kind to his patients and gives his 100 per cent to everyone he knows – and is the most loving husband anyone could ask for.'
New Paper
3 days ago
- New Paper
TV host Lee Teng and wife welcome baby boy after 2020 miscarriage
Home-grown TV host Lee Teng and his Taiwanese wife Gina Lin are now first-time parents to a baby boy named Ellison. Announcing the good news on Instagram on Aug 13, he joked about how he should now be called "Ellis' dad". The Taiwan-born Singaporean, 41, thanked his wife, 32, for her unwavering perseverance in her journey to becoming a mother. Calling their newborn a "rainbow baby", Lee recounted how the past five years had been anything but easy for the couple after they lost their first child in July 2020. Lin was six months pregnant when she suffered a miscarriage after returning to Taiwan to prepare for the birth of their baby boy, nicknamed Xiao Dou Ya (Little Bean Sprout). Lee was then in Singapore for work and could not leave the country to be with her because of Covid-19 travel restrictions. He managed to reunite with her in August that year, and they subsequently spent three months in Taiwan to heal from the grief together. He apologised to his followers for keeping their second pregnancy a secret. He said: "My wife and I have faced countless setbacks, and there were moments when I couldn't bear to see her disappointed. At times, I asked if we should give up, simply because I couldn't stand watching her suffer. "The wait has been long, but the moment I saw the smile on our rainbow baby's face, I knew every second was worth it." Lee also apologised for turning down work over the past year to be with his wife. Lin shared her heartfelt post on Instagram on Aug 13, writing in Chinese that the past few years had been "incredibly challenging". "Facing physical, mental and emotional strain, and concerns from everyone, I've managed to appear calm and composed. But in reality, I've become incredibly sensitive and insecure," she admitted. She added that she had been living under a constant barrage of repressed emotions and spent almost the entire pregnancy at home. Addressing her son in her post, Lin said: "Thank you for choosing me to be your mother, thank you for working so hard to grow up, thank you for giving me the courage to face my birthday and thank you for piecing together the broken me bit by bit." She added: "From the moment I heard your first cry, it felt so unreal. I wake up every morning and ask myself, 'Is this true?' Thank you for coming safely to us. Your father and I only hope you will be healthy and safe."
