Did they go too far?
Dangerous Message?
Source: Instagram @j_evans1219
This isn’t the first time that the cast members have promoted a product meant to help consumers slim down, and it’s also not the first slightly suspect product they’ve touted, either. But fans are concerned about some of the language in their promotional captions, as some believe they promote unhealthy or even disordered eating habits!
User @theheatherashley wrote, “WEIGHTLOSS PSA: Appetite suppressants aren’t how you lose weight, they’re how you gain anorexia. Your body NEEDS food to fuel it’s body or it will eat itself to make sure you don’t die. When it starts eating itself, your metabolism lowers, working against future weightloss.” User @kelseyfeldman agreed, “If you’re hungry then you should eat. This isn’t something to promote especially to the younger audience you have.” User @carrie.b.nongkhlaw even wrote, “Let’s take action guys as responsible adults!!!! REPORT THIS TO IG ASAP!!!!! The more people report the more IG WILL REMOVE!!! THESE types of INSENSITIVE ADVERTS are the reasons why kids have eating disorders!!!!” And @0711_v wrote, “as an influencer, you should be ashamed of yourself. these kinds of stuff leads to eating disorders.”
Viewers may recognize these lollipops as being involved in a recent controversy with a much bigger reality star. Kim Kardashian herself was recently taken down publicly for promoting the exact same product!
Shut Down!
Source: Instagram @kimkardashian
“#ad You guys… @flattummyco just dropped a new product. They’re Appetite Suppressant Lollipops and they’re literally unreal. They’re giving the first 500 people on their website 15% OFF so if you want to get your hands on some… you need to do it quick! #suckit.”
Kim’s update made headlines when The Good Place star Jameela Jamil took to Twitter to take her down. “No. F*ck off,” she wrote. “No. You are terrible and toxic influence on young girls. I admire their mother’s branding capabilities, she is an exploitative but innovative genius, however this family makes me feel actual despair over what women are reduced to.”
She went on to say, “MAYBE don’t take appetite suppressants and eat enough to fuel your BRAIN an work hard and be successful. And to play with your kids. And to have fun with your friends. And to have something to say about your life at the end, other than ‘I had a flat stomach.’”
Later, Jameela celebrated when Kim deleted her advertisement due to all of the controversy. “Kim took the tweet down. Well done twitter people, Bravo.”
Obviously the Teen Mom cast members don’t have as much reach as the infamous Kim Kardashian, but their effect on the impressionable youth following them is still a concern to some. However, not all fans were upset about the product.
Odd Coincidence…
Source: Instagram @farrah__abraham
“I haven’t looked into the lollipops themselves, but maybe I’m an idiot because it seems like a good idea? I’m definitely someone who eats when I’m bored so it might be helpful in that way,” wrote reddit user withyaboyfriend. User groblins pointed out, “jenelle commented, ‘No one is encouraging anyone to not eat. There’s no problem with encouraging things like this that help people get past unnecessary snacking, or eating out of boredom like a lot of people do.’ which is a pretty good answer coming from her tbh.” But user deniedbydanse retorted, “It’d be a good idea if it were regulated (God knows what’s in it) and prescribed by a doctor, but sold like this it’s famous people saying ‘I’m hot and skinny because I use this/skip meals and not because I have a ton of money for personal trainers/health teams/surgery.’ It also generally tells the girls who look up to them not to eat to see their results, which can be a dangerous message to send.”
Even “The Ashley” of The Ashley’s Reality Roundup got in on the conversation. She tweeted, “Isn’t it amazing that basically every reality TV star discovered their love for appetite suppressant lollipops ON THE SAME DAY!? #miracles.” Teen Mom OG’s very own Simon Saran, ex boyfriend of Farrah, replied, “They better start sucking that lollipop or they will be sucking something else for the money. Just ask Farrah’s dad.” Classy as always, Simon.