Much has been written about Kim Kardashian West's transition from E! reality star and social media spammer to a Vogue-posing, CFDA Award-winning, genuine member of the A-list.
But, sometimes, glimpses of that old Kim slip through.
Like, this week, when Ms Kardashian West posted some #sponcon (sponsored content) on her Instagram account to promote appetite suppressant lollipops.
She was quickly called out for the strange post by a number of her followers, including The Good Place actress and television presenter Jameela Jamil, whose response on Twitter criticising the Kardashian family as "toxic" and "exploitative" made headlines.
"MAYBE don’t take appetite suppressors and eat enough to fuel your BRAIN and 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,'" Jamil added.
But, what exactly are these "literally unreal", as described by Kim (read: the publicist who wrote the sponsored post copy which one of Kim's social media team scheduled to run on her Instagram account for an unknown fee), appetite suppressant lollipops.
Literally unreal.
The lollipops, produced by Flat Tummy Co, promise their secret ingredient "Satiereal", a "clinically proven" active ingredient extracted from natural plants, will "maximise satiety", making you feel less hungry.
Accredited sports dietitian Chloe McLeod says this is, of course, rubbish.
McLeod, who is the co-owner of nutrition counselling service Health & Performance Collective and a dietitian to the Parramatta Eels, says that although Flat Tummy Co claim their magic ingredient is clinically proven, the key study on the ingredient found participants experienced only one kilogram of weight loss over an eight week period.
"This is less effective than most dietary interventions on their own," she says.
Accredited practicing dietitian Robbie Clark, owner of online nutritional information platform The Health Clinic, agrees, saying Satiereal is marketed as a neurotransmitter that suppresses the urge overeat.
"The problem is, there is only one published study on the lollipop's active ingredient, which was performed in 2010 by a French researcher at a low-profile pharmaceutical company and no other significant research has been done on the extract, though it now appears in many weight loss products."
With cane sugar and rice syrup among their main ingredients, Clark says it is likely the lollipops will just elevate blood sugar levels, something Clark describes as "perplexing" given poor blood glucose control is generally viewed as contributing to cravings and hunger.
"These ‘appetite suppressant’ lollipops are just another marketing ploy using celebrities to promote a product that targets people… who are prone to emotional eating [and] snacking," he says.
If you want to feel less hungry during meals, McLeod advises you make sure you are drinking enough water, and ask yourself if you are actually hungry or just bored.
"If [you are] actually hungry at inappropriate times, it’s worth checking in on meal size and composition," she says. "Have enough low GI carbs, fiber, healthy fats and protein been included in the meal?"
The promotion of weird weight loss-adjacent products is a common practice for the Kardashian sisters.
They have become somewhat synonymous with waist trainers (for those not in the know, that is what we call corsets now: the language of this milennium for the restricted breathing and tissue damage of the last), and the family – particularly younger sister Khloe – have also promoted Fit Tea, a caffeinated green tea which promises to make you lose weight, presumably in the manner that starvation normally does.
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