Competitive Eating - Not the Healthiest Sport

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This article (Down the Hatch, Then What?) about competitive eating gives me the shivers. Is it really necessary to make eating a competitive sport? Not only is it incredibly unhealthy, but people have actually died doing it. Is your life worth a prize for most food consumed in the span of five minutes? One woman nearly choked on a potato skin but was back to competing a week later:

Thomas said she prefers soft chow, like spaghetti, eggs, and oysters, because they go down easier. At a regional qualifier earlier this year, a potato skin lodged painfully, if briefly, in her throat. A week later, she had to eat through the pain to win the final.

I guess for some people, winning prizes and awards is more important than their health or the risk of choking or stomach rupture.

Here's a quote from a 22 year-old college graduate who recently quit his job to focus more on competitive eating: "I just want to eat food, and impress my friends, and win money."

Well, at least he has goals.