Kim Kardashian West gets slammed for advertising appetite suppressants on Instagram

Over the years we have become somewhat desensitised to the constant touting of weightloss gimmicks proliferating social media. Be it Kourtney Kardashian selling her shakes or Kylie Jenner a stomach patch, plenty of us barely bat an eyelid at sponsored content posts. Yesterday, however, it looks like the social media queen Kim Kardashian West went too far, selling appetite suppressants in the form of lollipops.

The post, which saw the mother of three licking a red lolly, read, ‘#ad You guys… @flattummyco just dropped a new product. They’re Appetite Suppressant Lollipops and they’re literally unreal. They’re giving the first 500 people on their website 15% OFF so it you want to get you hands on some…you need to do it quick! #suckit’

On Flat Tummy Co‘s website they explain these sweets will keep your ‘hunger under control and cravings in-check.’

A post shared by A͙L͙E͙X͙ L͙I͙G͙H͙T͙ (@alexlight_ldn) on May 16, 2018 at 5:10am PDT

Social media was quickly abuzz with women calling out the super-controversial advert.

Actress Jameela Jamil, who is spearheading the #IWeigh movement, Tweeted her anger at the 37 year-old, telling her to ‘F*ck off.’

No. Fuck off. No. You terrible and toxic influence on young girls. I admire their mother’s branding capabilities, she is an exploitative but innovative genius, however this family makes me feel actual despair over what women are reduced to.  pic.twitter.com/zDPN1T8sBM

— Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) May 16, 2018

 Model Felicity Hayward similarly took offence, writing in the Metro, ‘This product is endorsing eating disorders.

A post shared by Felicity (@felicityhayward) on May 16, 2018 at 4:52am PDT

“Remember that awful saying ‘nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’? This is exactly the type of mindset this is promoting.”

ELLE spoke to the lovely women at Not Plant Based, an eating disorder-fighting platform, who echoed these sentiments regarding appetite suppressants. They told us, “I dread to think of the number of young girls (and boys) rushing out to order multipacks of these lollipops and feeling like sh*te when, two weeks later, they don’t magically look like Kim Kardashian.”

After the uproar, the beauty mogul has taken down the post, and has not commented on the fall-out.

The company Kardashian was promoting has kept their lollies on sale and are yet to comment on the star’s involvement and subsequent backlash.

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In a world where celebrities are selling all kinds of products that purport to keep us in shape, it can be difficult to sort the wood from the trees. Knowing that unqualified people are selling dietary advice is only made worse when you know that millions of people are battling eating disorders. ELLE spoke to registered nutritional therapist Milena Kaler to help us figure out the deal with ‘appetite suppressants’.

What is your opinion of appetite suppressants?

Appetite suppressants sound like an easy solution to help you lose weight but they can have dangerous side effects and may lead to disordered eating.

Have you found appetite suppressant to be helpful in a balanced diet? 

While appetite suppressants may seem convenient, there is little evidence that they are safe and effective. These products are not a part of balanced diet, they don’t address the cause of cravings, and they also can promote eating disorders.

 

A post shared by NOT PLANT BASED (@notplantbased) on May 10, 2018 at 5:00am PDT

For someone tempted to buy these products, what would you say to them?

There are many reasons why you may feel like you are always hungry but appetite suppressants will not solve the underlying problem. The reason why you are always hungry may be due to nutrient deficiencies, a lack of fibre, inadequate intake of protein and healthy fats, as well as high level of emotional stress.

What are your tips and tricks for staying full for longer and healthily snacking?

• Include protein with every meal and snack. 
• Snack on nuts or protein energy balls to curb cravings.
• Drink water before meals.
• Address your stress. Being under stress may induce cravings.

From: ELLE UK