What Is The Light Bulb Challenge? Doctors Warn Against Candy Swallowing Game

Chinese health officials and doctors are warning consumers against an online “light bulb challenge” that sees people attempting to swallow a light bulb shaped candy whole.

The light bulb-shaped sweets are about 2.5 inches in diameter and nearly four inches in length and buyers in China have taken to social media outlets such as Twitter, Instagram and SnapChat to post videos of them fitting the entire candy into their mouths. But doctors warn of the seemingly obvious choking hazard presented by such an act.

Dr Xiao Cheng told Xibu Online that the sweets could "cause choking and even suffocation,” and was one of many Chinese doctors warning buyers of particpating in the “light bulb challenge.”

The popular online Chinese retailer Taobao claims to have sold out of the toffee and apple tasting sweets that are made of granulated and malt sugars. Shine.cn reports that the candies are "out of stock due to increased orders with the approach of Christmas.” Thousands of photos and videos have emerged showing people attempting to wrap their mouths around the product that is designed to resemble a typical household light bulb.

According to Dr. Zhang Jin'an, "most people are able to open their mouth to about four centimetres wide, while the bulb-shaped candy has a diameter of six centimetres."