Kim Kardashian West has angered fans, and been accused of promoting disordered eating, after advertising appetite suppressants on Instagram.
On Tuesday Kardashian West, who has more than 111 million Instagram followers, posted a photo of her sucking a Flat Tummy lollipop, which promises to curb food cravings. In a promotional caption she described the product as “literally unreal” and offered a discount code. Following immediate backlash, she deleted the post on Wednesday morning.
Unlike most of us, Kardashian West isn’t just screaming into the void when she posts on social media; she exerts immense influence. Indeed, last week the Council of Fashion Designers of America announced it was honouring the reality TV star with its first ever Influencer Award, such is her ability to dictate taste and get people to buy things.
But with great power comes great responsibility and, as many people pointed out, promoting appetite suppressants sends an incredibly unhealthy message. Kardashian West’s post is particularly tasteless considering it is currently Mental Health Awareness Week. It is estimated that about 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
The actress Jameela Jamil, who campaigns around body positivity, described Kardashian West as a “terrible and toxic influence on young girls”. And in a tweet that went viral, one social media user asked how it was possible celebrities were still promoting appetite suppressants in 2018.
Kardashian West is far from the only celebrity to have promoted dubious diet products on social media. Kylie Jenner has also plugged “detox teas” on Instagram, claiming in one post that the teas are “so good for your tummy area”.
And last month Sarah Palin, a former vice-presidential nominee and Alaska governor, shared a photo of “skinny tea” along with a 15% discount code, with her 25,000 Instagram followers. While Kardashian West at least included #ad in her post, to indicate she was being paid for the content, Palin did not.
Detox teas and appetite-suppressing treats often exist in a regulatory grey area. Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, dietary supplement firms do not need FDA approval prior to marketing their products. But regulators have warned that “just because you see a supplement product on a store shelf” or, indeed, on a celebrity’s Instagram page, “does not mean it is safe”. The FDA says it has received numerous reports of harm associated with the use of weight-loss products.