Doctor warns of choking risks as schools rethink bun-eating contests

WESTERN BUREAU:

Dr Anthony Taylor, principal of St Mary’s Preparatory School, says his institution will tighten safety measures around bun-eating contests but will not remove the activity from its sports day programme unless parents or the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information request that children not participate.

“I am always a thinker. Already for this year, I have said no to my physical education department where the cross-country is concerned – we won’t have it this year,” Taylor said, noting that risk assessment routinely shapes decisions about school activities.

He said the school also ensures that trained medical personnel are present at events.

“I am always prepared, so regardless of whether we are having sports or pre-sports events, we ensure that a nurse or someone with medical training is on hand. I don’t take things for granted,” he said.

Taylor acknowledged that a recent death linked to a bun-eating contest in Manchester prompted him to reconsider how the traditional activity is staged at the school.

“And then, for some reason, the bun-eating contest came to me. I didn’t share it with my coach just yet, but since the recent incident in Manchester, I have decided that instead of a whole bun, we will reduce it this year to half a bun with water,” he said.

He noted that water had already been introduced in previous years to help reduce the risk of choking.

“Even during our internal competitions, we normally allow the children to eat the bun with water, so I said we will reduce it this year to half a bun with water,” Taylor explained.

HIGHLIGHT OF SPORTING EVENTS

Despite the adjustment, he said the activity remained popular and has long been a highlight of the school’s sporting events.

“All in all, this has been a nice activity over the years, but I wouldn’t readily want to remove it from the day’s events,” he said.

Taylor stressed, however, that the school would comply with any directive or parental objection.

“I have not seen any documentation from the Ministry of Education or any parent expressing concern about their children participating in this event. In light of that, we will adhere to any request if it comes,” he said.

The renewed focus on safety follows the death of Kerron Powell, 38, of Litchfield, Trelawny, who reportedly experienced a medical emergency while participating in a bun-eating contest at a promotional event in Christiana, Manchester, last Saturday.

Powell, who lived with disabilities and relied on a government assistance programme, died at hospital after food became lodged in his throat during the competition.

Medical doctor Tameka Stephenson-Harris said such contests carry serious and potentially fatal health risks.

“From a medical standpoint, speed-eating contests can be significantly dangerous due to the risk of choking caused by airway obstruction,” Stephenson-Harris told The Gleaner.

She explained that rapid eating disrupts the body’s natural coordination between chewing, swallowing, and breathing.

“When food is not properly chewed and there is poor coordination between swallowing and breathing, the risk of choking increases and can become life-threatening within minutes if not addressed,” she said.

Foods typically used in these contests can make the risk worse.

“Dense, dry foods like buns, bread, or dough-based items are particularly hazardous because they can form a sticky, compact mass that is difficult to swallow and can easily block the airway,” she explained.

Stephenson-Harris said choking occurs when food becomes lodged in the airway, preventing oxygen from reaching the lungs and brain.

“Oxygen levels may drop rapidly, and within three to five minutes of complete blockage, brain injury can begin. Without prompt intervention, this can lead to loss of consciousness and death,” she warned.

Children, she added, are especially vulnerable.

“They have smaller airways, underdeveloped chewing and swallowing skills, and immature coordination. Their tendency to eat quickly or play while eating also increases the risk of choking,” said Stephenson-Harris, a paediatrician.

Some schools say they do not include eating contests in their events.

Gavin Atkinson, principal of Chetwood Memorial Primary School in St James, said the institution does not stage bun-eating contests or similar activities.

“Due to the safety of our children, we do not have bun-eating or any other contest that involves eating,” Atkinson said.

“We are cognisant of the dangers such contests pose. As a result, none are held at the school,” he added.

NOT A PART OF ACTIVITIES

Dave Scott, principal of Howard Cooke Primary School in St James, said his school had also never included bun-eating contests in its activities.

“We have never had any bun-eating contest at any of our events, whether sports day or fun day,” Scott said, arguing that the practice carries obvious dangers.

He is also urging wider first-aid training in schools and communities.

“People need to take first-aid responses seriously. A life could be saved if someone knows what to do in that moment of crisis,” Scott said.

“We need to take first-aid training seriously because you never know when you may be in a situation that requires you to save a life.”

Stephenson-Harris is also urging organisers to rethink the traditional format of speed-eating contests.

“Traditional speed-eating contests, especially those involving high-risk foods, should be reconsidered,” she said.

Bun-eating contests have long been a feature of fun days and community events across Jamaica, particularly around Easter when bun and cheese are widely consumed.

However, Powell’s death has renewed calls from medical professionals for greater public education on choking hazards and increased training in emergency-response techniques such as abdominal thrusts and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which can help save lives in choking emergencies.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com