Although it may seem like a lie, we still have the capacity for surprise when knowing the last straight viral among young people on Tik-Tok, usually accompanied by the word “danger”, because yes, some of these challenges put the health of our youngest people at risk. Latest: eating plastic (plastic eating). Yes, as you hear it.
But what does this madness that has become popular consist of? As explained from the European University of Madridthis challenge is known as the ‘eating plastic diet’ and consists of chewing food wrapped in transparent film and then spitting it out, seeking to trick the brain into feeling satiated without consuming calories. That is, to lose weight.
This practice, which has gone viral in China and adds to the long list of extreme trends, has set off alarm bells due to its serious health riskssuch as the danger of suffocation or gastrointestinal problems.
“The first thing to clarify is that this is not a ‘diet’ like other miracle diets that appear from time to time, the artichoke diet, the thistle diet, the typical ‘bikini operation’, which may be poorly planned or lack a scientific basis. Here we are talking about something different,” he explains to laSexta. nutritionist Andrea Calderóndirector of the Master’s Degree in Nutrition, Body Composition and Metabolism at this university.
For this reason, he states forcefully: “The so-called ‘plastic eating diet’ is not a poorly designed diet: it is a risky behavior“: “Chewing food to spit it out later with the intention of not ingesting calories is not a nutritional strategy, but rather an alteration in the relationship with food, because satiety does not work like that.”
In this way, and as Calderón continues to explain, “our body needs food to reach the digestive system to activate the hormonal signals that regulate hunger. Chewing and spitting can generate a momentary sensation, but there is no real physiological process behind it.”
Now, what there may be behind this behavior “is a reinforcement of restrictive behaviors and a progressive disconnection from normal hunger and satiety signals. Furthermore, it is not physically harmless: there is a risk of suffocation, accidental aspiration of the plastic or gastrointestinal problems if ingested,” this professional firmly states.
However, beyond the immediate physical risk, what is worrying is the underlying message. “These types of challenges normalize the idea that eating is something to avoid or deceive.. And that can be the gateway to eating disorders, especially in adolescents and young people, who are especially vulnerable to aesthetic pressure and viral content.
“We are not facing an innocent fad or another extravagant diet. We are facing a practice that trivializes very serious behaviors,” adds the nutritionist, calling on families and educators and also, and above all, on the digital platforms themselves so that they do not trivialize this type of content: “Health is not achieved by avoiding food or looking for viral shortcuts, but by building a balanced and healthy relationship with it,” concludes Calderón.
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