Khloé Kardashian (and her sisters) have been promoting weight loss products on their social media pages for years.
They have received more and more criticism because while the products promise rapid weight loss, they are unhealthy and potentially dangerous.
Khloé cooperates with a company that runs Flat Tummy Co. hot. The company sells tea and meal replacement shakes that should help you lose weight and achieve a flat stomach by “detoxing” your system. And with detoxification they mean that you often have to go to the bathroom. They are actually laxatives.
These laxative weight loss products are not good for you, experts say.
They are addictive and they have dangerous side effects and health risks.
Promoting these unhealthy food drinks seems especially irresponsible for the Kardashians, who earn their living with their young and influenceable crowd.
But for whatever reason (ahem, probably money), Khloé remains unabashed Flat Tummy Co. promote on her Instagram page. People have had enough.
Her most recent sponsored post has been flooded with critical comments, including many from people who are otherwise big fans.
Khloé Kardashian and sponsored Instagram messages go hand in hand. She promotes a whole range of different products on her page, just like all Kardashian-Jenner’s sisters.
But if there is one product that fans want Khloé to just stop advertising, then it’s Flat Tummy’s slimming drinks.
Flat Tummy sells “detox tea”, meal replacement shakes and appetite suppressing lollipops. All of these products are designed to promote rapid weight loss and none of these products are good for you.
These products have numerous potential health risks. The teas are basically just laxatives, which can be harmful to your kidneys and digestive system, can unbalance your entire body and cause you to become dependent on them for regular bowel movements.
Meal replacement shakes encourage users to skip meals and drink the shakes, which is a risky and unsustainable approach to diet.
Fans and activists have often criticized Khloé for promoting these products.
But she continues to post regularly sponsored Flat Tummy content.
“#Ad Ok, you guys … I contributed work, added @flattummyco meal replacement shakes and I feel so good,” she writes about a recently sponsored message.
“My energy has run out, my cravings are being checked and I really feel like I’m a total tummy knockout,” she continued. “You have to check them out while their 30% OFF sale is on. Ps: how CUTE is this shake bottle?!”
Her message soon filled with angry comments that exclaimed, including many reactions from fans.
In a country where 8 million people suffer from eating disorders and a significant percentage of these patients die prematurely due to their disorders, the anger of people towards the Kardashians is not just promoting a dubious product. It is about a major public health problem.
Comments pointed out that it is irresponsible for Khloé Kardashian to promote these products to her fans, most of whom are young women. Young girls carry most of the pressure from society to have ‘perfect’ bodies, and they generally do not have millions of dollars or a team of personal trainers and chefs to help them look like the Kardashians, making they are easily prone to advertisements such as these.
Khloé Kardashian has a huge platform, and as a commentator noted, she has the wealth and the privilege to be able to say no to projects that do not match her values or passions. So why does she still promote products that threaten the health of her fans?
She is certainly not the only one. Kim is also a partner of Flat Tummy Co. and promotes the same shakes in its feed. Kylie cooperates with another company that makes similar products, TeaMi.
The entire Kardashian-Jenner clan has come under fire over the years to shill these products.
Actress Jameela Jamil, an outspoken positivity activist for the body, has publicly called the Kardashians many times. In addition to other criticisms, she has pointed out that the advertisements are unfair.
“If you are too irresponsible to: a) be in possession of a personal trainer, nutritionist, probable chef, and surgeon to achieve your aesthetic effect, rather than this laxative product … and b) telling them the side effects, then I think I have to, “Jameela wrote in one comment.
But the family continues to strongly believe in their right to promote weight loss drinks.
In March they spoke with the New York Times.
“I don’t live in that negative energy space. Ninety percent of the people will be very enthusiastic about the family and the journey and who we are,” said mother Kris Jenner.
And Kim was unapologetic because the ads are good, lucrative and easy. Sigh.
“If there is work that is very easy that does not deprive our children, that is just a huge priority, if someone is faced with the same job opportunities, I think they might consider it,” she said.
Kim’s argument makes sense except that these companies approach practically every celebrity to promote their products, and many people say no. When is it the turn of the Kardashians to take some responsibility and refuse to promote products they don’t believe in?
