A viral social media trend known as the “plastic diet” has gained traction on social media, primarily among adolescents and young people in China. The practice involves chewing food wrapped in plastic film and spitting it out with the aim of simulating satiety without calorie intake. Clinicians and nutrition experts warned that this behavior is a high-risk pattern rather than a dietary strategy.

Speaking with El Médico Interactivo, Andrea Calderón García, PhD, from the Department of Pharmacy and Nutrition, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain, said “The first point to clarify is that this is not a typical ‘diet’ like the so-called miracle diets that appear from time to time but rather a risky behavior.”

From a physiologic perspective, Calderón noted that satiety does not depend solely on the mechanical act of chewing. “For the body to properly activate appetite regulatory mechanisms, nutrients must reach the digestive system. Hormones such as ghrelin, leptin, and intestinal peptides such as GLP-1 are involved in this process and send signals to the central nervous system to modulate hunger and satiety. When food is chewed and spat out, these pathways are not activated as they should be. There may be a temporary sensation, but there is no real metabolic response,” she said.

Physical Risks

Calderón warned that if plastic is accidentally ingested, the risk is real. Airway obstruction may cause choking, and aspiration may occur if the material enters the respiratory tract. If plastic reaches the gastrointestinal system, it may cause discomfort, irritation, and intestinal obstruction. Fragmentation may also increase exposure to microplastics. “Although in some cases it may be expelled without complications, it is not harmless,” she said.

Behavioral Impact

Over time, this behavior may disrupt normal hunger perception and promote a dysfunctional relationship with food. “These practices normalize covert restrictive strategies based on avoiding or simulating calorie intake,” Calderón said. This pattern may reinforce restrictive eating behaviors and lead to progressive disconnection from physiological hunger and satiety signals, while also reinforcing the perception that eating should be avoided.

The expert noted that this behavior may increase the risk for eating disorders, particularly among adolescents and young adults, who are more vulnerable to body image pressures and viral online content.

Wider Trend

Viral social media challenges continue to pose increasing health risks among adolescents and young people by normalizing extreme or dangerous behaviors in pursuit of social validation. Challenges such as consuming excessive quantities of medications, including the “Paracetamol Challenge” and “Sleepy Chicken,” have resulted in severe intoxication, hospitalizations, and deaths in multiple countries, including Spain, the US, France, and the UK.

Other challenges, such as the “Clonazepam Challenge” and the “Benadryl Challenge,” aim to induce sedation or hallucinations, exposing participants to severe neurologic, hepatic, and cardiac complications. These trends illustrate how social media dynamics may transform risky behaviors into seemingly “fun” or entertaining activities while obscuring their clinical consequences.

Clinical Implications

Healthcare professionals should combine prevention and education with active clinical surveillance and early intervention in cases of risky behavior. Raising awareness about these viral trends should be integrated into strategies that promote safe and healthy eating habits, along with public health programs that support a balanced relationship with food, particularly among adolescents and young adults who are most susceptible to social media influence.

This article was translated from El Médico Interactivo on Univadis, part of the Medscape Professional Network.