Instagram models and influencers are renowned for promoting weight loss and slimming products, from waist trainers to detox teas, and now even appetite-suppressing lollipops. I found myself taken aback when I saw the company launch them.
Although also making detox teas and meal replacement shakes; marketing appetite suppressants seem to have crossed a line for people, and there was a lot of controversy surrounding the product.
I went to the company’s Instagram and was concerned to see only positive comments. I left one voicing my concern for those with eating disorders exploiting the product. I checked back to find that my comment had been deleted!
Companies like this one take advantage of people’s insecurities and exploit those with eating disorders. The fact that they deleted my comment, instead of defending their position, or even just leaving it there, is worrying.
Healthy is the New Skinny, a movement that promotes healthy lifestyles, body positivity, and calls out toxic advertising; wrote the following on their Instagram:
“We were thrilled to see that we weren’t the only ones appalled by this and enjoyed reading the comments from women who are speaking out against it! We can no longer allow this kind of marketing to continue. It is not acceptable for one celebrity and companies like this to monetize millions of young women’s body image and self-esteem issues”
People with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, osfed/ednos, and orthorexia are bound to be drawn to use these products for all the wrong reasons. Bulimia is characterised by laxative abuse, and many “detox”, “skinny” or “fit” teas are just glorified laxatives. Anyone with anorexia or symptoms of it would find ways to suppress their appetite, which makes this product a highly dangerous one.
Although some people may actually need appetite suppressants for health reasons, such as a medication side effect being an insatiable appetite; the marketing of these products never acknowledge that side of it. Scrolling though social media promotions for appetite suppressants, detox teas, and meal replacements exclusively feature conventionally attractive, slim women. The way in which these products are endorsed plays on people’s insecurities, it suggests that if you use this product you will feel happy, get thinner, and be beautiful.
However, this is misleading. Anyone with an eating disorder knows that no matter how much weight you lose, it’s never enough.
A larger issue is how social media is overflowing with influences selling these kinds of products, with audiences consisting primarily of young impressionable girls. A portion of their followers will try to imitate their idol, so if they post a “what I eat in a day” video, they’re going to try follow it exactly, or even follow a more restrictive version for faster results.
Plenty of celebrities and influences promote disordered behaviour when it comes to food and illness. Over the years, countless fad diets have emerged from Hollywood such as the “Baby Food Diet”, the “Sleeping Beauty Diet”, and one of the more eccentric, intentionally getting a tape worm! These centre around heavily reducing calories and food groups, or just having the tapeworm consume your calories itself.
With fitness influencers being among the most popular online at the moment, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to discern what’s disordered eating, and what’s just being dedicated to a healthy lifestyle. Body Whys explain that Orthorexia is an eating disorder characterised by an obsession with “dietary purity”. The difference between orthorexia and other eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia is that they feature a desire to consume as little food as possible, however those with orthorexia are more concerned about the quality of the food they are eating to the point of punishing themselves by fasting or stricter rules for eating something that is not pure or good enough. Many influences and promoters of diet products walk the line, or cross the line, from being fit to being orthorexic or promoting orthorexic behaviours.
Although everyone knows the best way to be healthy is to eat a balanced varied diet, and keep active, the preference for a “quick fix” is strong, and companies and influences exploit this. Fad diets generally, never focus on nutrition, and instead aim for becoming calorie deficient, which will result in weight loss, but everyone knows the weight will pile on the second the diet finishes.
Eating disorders are the most fatal mental illness. Companies such as this one, and the celebrities who work with them, need to be mindful that a portion of their customers are struggling with these illnesses.
Support Our Campaign
We rely on the generosity of the public to fund our work and so far together we have achieved great things! Please do continue to support us so we can provide future generations in Ireland with the resources to recognise and talk about their emotions, and equip them to navigate the ever-changing world around them as they grow
