Celebrity endorsements of weight loss products

Something that has come to light recently (about time!) is the call for social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and twitter to ban celebrities from advertising 'health' and 'weight loss' products. Some examples of these products you may have seen (z list) celebrities endorsing while your scrolling are, Boombod, Skinny Coffee, Fat burners/Weight loss pills and Appetite Suppressants. Keep in mind which celebrities are actually advertising these. The criteria usually involves them being off a reality tv show, famous for no real reason, that have large followings of both young impressionable men and women looking up to them. These "celebrities" (and i hate calling them this) are looking for a few quid and obviously do not care about the lies they tell to mislead their followers. They know full well these products don't work, just look at Lauren Goodger's recent post where she openly mocks her followers as they believe that she got fit and healthy from the product she was endorsing. Convenient how that ad is no longer there!? Unfortunately these celebrities are idolised and looked up to by impressionable people, and they have a huge impact on how people feel about themselves and how they live their lives. Don't their followers deserve some respect? Many of these young people will already have issues with body image and now they see their favourite celebrity advertising quick fixes to get skinny, your own set of six pack abs or a smaller physique! These adverts usually consist of a 'before' and 'after' photo (that are quite obviously only 2 seconds and an outfit change apart). The before usually shows the celebrity hunched over in an unflattering pose with no make up and a solemn look on their face. Then the 'after' is them standing with good posture, angling their bodies in flattering light, with a smiley face and make up on. You probably have seen many of these will scrolling, but if you haven't, now you can be aware.

These products do not work! These companies that are getting these Z listers to promote their products know how to manipulate the media and they know exactly which type of celeb to approach. It is adding more confusion around health, weight loss and wellbeing, selling a quick fix that does not actually educate people about sustainable healthy weight loss. No one is overweight because they haven't been drinking skinny coffee. No one is overweight because they are not taking their daily sachet of Boombod and honestly, why are we wanting to suppress our appetite with a lolly? Hunger is natural we don't want to suppress this with a sweet, its adding more issues and confusion to what health is and demonising hunger. These are not the issues. These companies are praying on your insecurities to make themselves money. The underlying issue (in its simplest form) is you are consuming to many calories for what your body needs (calories in V calories out). Yes people have perceived barriers to weight loss, bur trust me when i say these products are adding to the problem. They are most definitely not the solution.

So, I do hope that these social media platforms do implement this ban of celebrity endorsements of these products. Being unhealthy and overweight are major issues in this country, so surely these celebrities with mass followings owe it to their followers to be completely honest with how they are staying healthy and fit? Exercise and a well balanced diet will always win over faddy diets and products. There is no such thing as a quick fix when it comes to health. If you have become unhealthy or overweight i'm sure it didn't happen in 14 days, so improving health is not going to be that quick a solution either. You deserve to not be misled by these celebs and companies and you deserve these ads to be banned. 

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