Bizarre 'Weight Loss Hack' Involving Plastic Wrap Goes Viral on Chinese Social Media, Alarming Health Experts

Beijing. In the pursuit of going viral on social media, the younger generation is seriously gambling with their health. Recently, a strange and frightening 'weight loss hack' has been going viral on Chinese social media, where people are pretending to eat by wrapping thin plastic around their mouths to lose weight.

This has even been dubbed the 'mouth condom' on the internet. In this bizarre trend, participants place a layer of plastic inside their mouth and chew food over it. The main objective is to taste the food but prevent calories from entering the body.

The plastic prevents direct contact between the food and the body. They chew the food vigorously for a while and then spit it out. They claim this tricks the brain into feeling full by simulating eating.

However, health experts have characterized this trend as a major health crisis. Chewing food this way not only deprives the body of essential energy and nutrition but can also trigger more intense cravings for food in the future. The most frightening aspect is the risk of developing serious eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. It habituates the brain to enjoy only the taste without calories, which is fatal to health.

Furthermore, chewing plastic carries the risk of introducing a large amount of microplastics into the body. During chewing, small particles of plastic mix with saliva and enter the respiratory and digestive systems, which can lead to complex diseases like cancer in the long run.

What started as a simple practice has now been viewed millions of times online and is causing concern worldwide. Doctors suggest that instead of adopting such impractical and risky methods in the name of weight loss, a balanced diet and exercise remain the best options. Suggestion

A trend among young people in China: For fear of obesity and in order to feel full, they place a plastic bag over their mouth while eating.pic.twitter.com/WZmOHS9LvO

— China pulse 🇨🇳 (@Eng_china5) February 17, 2026