Social Media Users Seek Cyclospora for 10–20 Pound Weight Loss, Drawing Millions of Views
Updated
Updated · Slate · Jul 22
Social Media Users Seek Cyclospora for 10–20 Pound Weight Loss, Drawing Millions of Views
3 articles · Updated · Slate · Jul 22
Summary
Posts on TikTok and Instagram show users trying to catch cyclosporiasis through bagged salads and Taco Bell lettuce, framing the infection as a way to lose 10–20 pounds.
Doctors say any drop on the scale is mostly water loss from diarrhea, not fat loss, and typically reverses with rehydration; the illness can also cause cramping, fatigue and nausea.
Two widely shared examples underscore the reach: one Taco Bell video tagged “#20poundslighter” drew more than 200,000 views, while a salad-making clip labeled satire topped 3 million.
Psychologists and dietitians cited in the report say the trend reflects diet culture’s pressure to prize thinness over health, echoing the broader “diarrhea diet” content already spreading on SkinnyTok.