Partly becasue I am waiting for drywall compound to dry, (slightly more exciting than paint) and partly because there is a point to it,
I provided no link to a study of cramping/swimming/eating because I have yet to ever see one. If someone can direct me to a reported study, I would find it fascinating.
There is however, a study (that I referenced) pointing out the stubborn behaviour of myths, even among doctors.
As to cramping due to exertion, I do it all the time when running past my max sustainable speed. With work, I have been pushing my threshold back, but it is quite reliable in terms of speed and time.
I have also had swimmers that cramped up when I pushed them hard (really hard, brutally hard, borderline ethics hard).
I have never seen or heard of a case of someone cramping after a meal. I accept that everyone does respond differently, for a myriad of reasons, and I remind you of my disclaimer that gluttony + swimming can be unpleasant, but gluttony does not equal eating. The purpose behind my post, and my feelings on the subject, come from frustration with people who say, I can't eat that, I'm about to go swimming (usually in a tournament). In fact, the not eating food before swimming will kill your performance more so than eating if your energy reserves are running low (ie a day long event).
The secondary article (linked to in the one you linked to) also made the point that drowning is not really a foreseeable risk. It has the old 'for safety's sake' warning. Drownings do occur for many reasons, but unless someone can point me to a single recorded case of a drowning due to eating a couple burgers prior to swimming, I will continue to ignore this *as if* it were a myth.
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2005/06/30/swim-eat050630.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/health/28real.html
If people really want something to worry about for their kids in a swimming pool, check the drains in the bottom. Drains with excess suction force have killed and disembowelled children. 170 incidents, and 27 children killed. That is an example of a real danger. When we focus too much on mythical ones, we lose track of what is important.
http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/columns/Heightman/Pool_Drain_Eviscerates_6-Year-Old_Girl.html
Note 1: better to eat a banana and a bagel prior to swimming instead of two burgers - long term health
Note 2: In a lifeguarded swimming pool, I conservatively state that it is impossible to "die" of eat/drown, in open water, there are many other far more important things to worry about.
Note 3: Water Safety is important. But as a concession, I will advise against engorging oneself immediately prior to swimming alone or with inexperienced swimmer/partners in open water at night with sharks. (got a little carried away there with the qualifiers
)