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Published on: May 8, 2018

Associations Between Mukbang Watching and Appetite, Nutrition, and Quality of Life in Pediatric Patients with Cancer:

Yuxue Xiao1, Jiani Wang1,2, Ting Zhong3

  • 1School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, RM 613, Block of School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University North Campus, No. 74, 2nd Yat-Sen Road,Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510080, China, 86 020-87334851.

Journal of Medical Internet Research
|May 22, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Mukbang watching helped maintain appetite in children with cancer undergoing treatment. While quality of life improved initially, long-term effects require further study, especially regarding the virtual-physical reality gap.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pediatrics
  • Nutrition Science
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Malnutrition and diminished appetite are common challenges for pediatric cancer patients.
  • Mukbang, an online eating show genre, is increasingly used by hospitalized children.
  • This study investigates the impact of mukbang on children with cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the association between mukbang watching and appetite in pediatric cancer patients.
  • To evaluate the relationship between mukbang consumption and nutritional status.
  • To determine the effect of mukbang viewing on the quality of life for children with cancer.

Main Methods:

  • An intensive longitudinal study of 179 children undergoing cancer treatment in Guangzhou, China.
  • Daily data collection on mukbang watching and appetite for 5 consecutive days.
  • Assessment of nutrition and quality of life pre- and post-treatment using latent class analysis and generalized estimating equation (GEE) models.

Main Results:

  • 63.7% of participants watched mukbang, categorized into low, medium, and high viewing classes.
  • Medium and high mukbang consumption correlated with better appetite maintenance over time.
  • No significant association was found between mukbang watching and nutritional status.
  • Higher quality of life was observed in medium and high mukbang classes, but low and medium classes showed greater declines over time.

Conclusions:

  • Medium- and high-frequency mukbang watching is linked to improved appetite maintenance in pediatric cancer patients.
  • While mukbang may aid appetite management, its long-term impact on quality of life needs careful consideration.
  • Future research should explore the psychological aspects of the virtual stimulation versus physical reality in this context.
Abstract

Keywords:
appetitemukbangnutritionpediatric oncologyquality of life

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