The viral plastic eating trend in China shows people wrapping plastic over their mouths or chewing food and spitting it out to avoid calorie intake
The plastic wrap weight loss trend has gained millions of views on Douyin, TikTok, and other social media platforms
Microplastics from plastic exposure have been detected in human blood and placenta, confirming systemic absorption
Plastic chemicals such as bisphenol A and phthalates can disrupt hormone function and metabolic regulation
Chewing and spitting food without swallowing is recognized in medical literature as a disordered eating behavior linked to eating disorders
The plastic eating weight loss trend in China involves placing plastic wrap over the mouth while chewing food or chewing food and spitting it out instead of swallowing. The practice has spread rapidly on Chinese social media platforms such as Douyin and has also appeared on TikTok and other global platforms.
This viral plastic diet trend, also referred to as the plastic wrap weight loss trend or cling wrap diet, is promoted on social media as a way to simulate the experience of eating and tasting food without swallowing it or consuming calories. Videos show participants placing plastic wrap over their mouth while chewing food or chewing and then discarding it without swallowing. Individuals may still perceive some flavor due to smell and limited exposure of saliva to food particles.
Supporters of the trend claim it may help reduce calorie intake and support weight loss. However, the human body absorbs calories and nutrients only when food is swallowed and digested. Taste stimulation alone does not provide energy or affect metabolism.
Medical concerns about the plastic eating trend in China include both immediate physical dangers and long-term biological effects.
Plastic wrap placed over the mouth can create a choking hazard. Thin plastic materials may obstruct airflow if inhaled accidentally or if fragments enter the airway. Plastic materials are not designed for contact with the respiratory tract or ingestion and may cause irritation, obstruction, or injury⁷.
These risks increase when plastic wrap is tightly applied across the mouth, which may interfere with normal breathing.
In addition to choking risk, plastic exposure may introduce microplastics and chemical additives into the body.
Plastic wrap and food packaging materials can release microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters.¹ Humans are exposed to microplastics through food, drinking water, and air, making exposure widespread in modern environments. ⁸
Scientific studies have detected microplastics in human blood, demonstrating that plastic particles can enter the circulatory system.² Microplastics have also been identified in human placenta tissue, confirming their ability to cross biological barriers and reach developing tissues. ³
Research suggests microplastic exposure may:
Irritate the digestive tract
Trigger inflammatory responses
Disrupt gut microbiome balance
Cause oxidative stress that damages cells and tissues⁴,⁵
Microplastics may also carry toxic chemicals and environmental pollutants into the body. ⁴
The World Health Organization has confirmed that microplastics are present in drinking water and human environments, highlighting the potential for repeated exposure and ongoing research into health effects.¹
See also: IV Drip Bars at Weddings: Doctors Warn of Medical Risks Behind the Viral Trend
Plastic materials contain chemical additives such as bisphenol A and phthalates, which are classified as endocrine disruptors.⁶ These chemicals can interfere with hormone signaling systems that regulate metabolism, reproduction, growth, and other essential biological processes.⁶
Scientific research has linked endocrine-disrupting chemicals to hormonal imbalance, metabolic dysfunction, and reproductive health effects.⁶ ⁷
Plastic contact with saliva and oral tissues may increase the likelihood of chemical transfer into the body. Repeated exposure may contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress, which are associated with chronic disease processes. ⁴ ⁷
Chewing food and spitting it out without swallowing is recognized in clinical literature as a disordered eating behavior⁹. This behavior has been observed in individuals with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. ¹⁰
Research associates chew and spit behavior with:
Psychological distress
Preoccupation with body weight and food intake
Disrupted eating patterns
Increased risk of developing clinically significant eating disorders⁹
Normal hunger and fullness signals depend on food reaching the stomach and triggering hormonal responses. Chewing without swallowing interrupts this physiological process.
Repeated avoidance of food ingestion may increase the risk of nutritional deficiencies and metabolic imbalance.
Body weight regulation depends on energy balance, which requires actual calorie intake and energy expenditure. Chewing food without swallowing prevents calorie absorption and does not produce metabolic changes necessary for weight loss.
Scientific evidence does not support plastic eating or chew and spit practices as safe or effective weight loss methods.
Instead, the practice introduces unnecessary health risks without demonstrated medical benefit.
Microplastic exposure has been documented in human blood, placenta, food, and drinking water, demonstrating widespread environmental exposure.¹ ³ ⁸
Health researchers continue to investigate the long-term effects of microplastic exposure and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Behavioral patterns involving avoidance of food intake while maintaining taste stimulation are recognized in medical literature as disordered eating behaviors.⁹ ¹⁰
Public health experts emphasize minimizing unnecessary exposure to plastic and avoiding unsafe viral diet practices that may pose health risks.
World Health Organization. Microplastics in Drinking-Water: Background Document for Development of WHO Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2019.
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241516198
Leslie, Heather A., Marja J. M. van Velzen, Sicco H. Brandsma, et al. “Discovery and Quantification of Plastic Particle Pollution in Human Blood.” Environment International 163 (2022): 107199.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107199
Ragusa, Antonio, Alessandro Svelato, Criselda Santacroce, et al. “Plasticenta: First Evidence of Microplastics in Human Placenta.” Environment International 146 (2021): 106274.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106274
Wright, Stephanie L., and Frank J. Kelly. “Plastic and Human Health: A Micro Issue?” Environmental Science & Technology 51, no. 12 (2017): 6634–6647.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b00423
Smith, Madeleine, David C. Love, Chelsea M. Rochman, and Roni A. Neff. “Microplastics in Seafood and the Implications for Human Health.” Current Environmental Health Reports 5, no. 3 (2018): 375–386.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-018-0206-z
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. “Endocrine Disruptors.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023.
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine
Halden, Rolf U. “Plastics and Health Risks.” Annual Review of Public Health 31 (2010): 179–194.
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.012809.103714
Cox, Kieran D., Garth A. Covernton, Heather L. Davies, et al. “Human Consumption of Microplastics.” Environmental Science & Technology 53, no. 12 (2019): 7068–7074.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b01517
Aouad, Phillip, Phillipa Hay, Nerissa Soh, and Stephen Touyz. “Chew and Spit Behavior in Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review.” International Journal of Eating Disorders 49, no. 3 (2016): 147–162.
https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22446
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2013.
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
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