The article draws on El Médico Interactivo and situates the trend within a broader discussion of online health risks affecting young people.

A viral trend dubbed the “plastic diet” involves chewing food wrapped in plastic and spitting it out to simulate fullness, framed by promoters as high risk rather than a legitimate diet.

Public health experts urge prevention, education, and clinical surveillance to weave awareness of such online trends into strategies promoting healthy eating among youths exposed to risky online content.

This trend fits a broader pattern of viral social media challenges that normalize dangerous behaviors—from medication overdoses to sedative challenges—leading to serious health crises and hospitalizations across several countries.

Behaviorally, the practice can disrupt natural hunger cues and foster a dysfunctional relationship with food, potentially reinforcing restrictive patterns and diminishing awareness of genuine hunger and fullness in adolescents and young adults.

Physical risks include choking or airway obstruction, possible accidental aspiration, gastrointestinal irritation or obstruction if plastic reaches the gut, and heightened exposure to microplastics.

Experts note satiety requires nutrient intake and hormonal signals; chewing and spitting fails to trigger the metabolic processes behind real satiety, offering only a temporary sensation.