A bizarre new weight-loss trend is going viral on Chinese social media, and health experts are sounding the alarm. The trend involves people covering their mouths with plastic wrap before eating. They then chew food through the cling film, tasting and mimicking the act of eating before removing the food and throwing it away.
Supporters claim the plastic wrap prevents calories from entering the body while tricking the brain into feeling satisfied. But critics say the idea is deeply flawed. Simply simulating eating does not provide the body with energy or nutrition and may actually intensify cravings over time.
Medical experts warn the behaviour could encourage serious eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, as it trains the brain to seek the taste of food without consuming it. There are also concerns about microplastics, as chewing against plastic wrap could release small fragments that are inhaled or swallowed.
Despite the risks, the strange trend has already racked up millions of views online.
