• Health experts warn of serious risks from China’s “Plastic Eating” trend

Health specialists have issued warnings over a viral weight-loss practice spreading rapidly across China, which involves wrapping the mouth in plastic while chewing food without swallowing.

The trend, popularized on TikTok, claims to create a sensation of fullness without consuming calories.

Experts stress that the practice carries significant physical and mental health hazards and lacks any scientific basis. Repeated friction of plastic in the mouth can release microplastic particles into saliva, potentially affecting the digestive and respiratory systems and causing chronic inflammation and intestinal disturbances.

Chewing against the plastic barrier may also lead to gum ulcers, bleeding, enamel erosion, and an increased risk of bacterial infections. The activity can disrupt the gut-brain axis, prompting stomach acid production without actual food intake, which may result in heartburn, inflammation, ulcers, and nutritional deficiencies. Consequences can include fatigue, hair loss, and muscle weakness.

On the psychological level, reports indicate that the “chew and spit” behavior can be linked to eating disorders, while also raising anxiety and depression due to stress and insufficient nutrition.