Fans Are Furious at Demi Lovato for Promoting *This* Surprising Product
Demi Lovato has been a champion for self love on social media for quite some time now. Not only has she been an advocate for mental health, but she’s also been very outspoken about her “Confident” body image, most recently posting a shot of her nonexistent thigh gap to show girls everywhere she’s plenty beautiful without it. Fans regularly turn to the 24-year-old singer for her outspoken honesty and message of body positivity. Which is exactly why they’re not pulling any punches about one of her latest Instagram posts, which appears to include “dieting tips.”
The post in question shows the Camp Rock actress touting the benefits of Teami detox tea, saying it’s helping her to fight bloating and get summer ready. It also includes a 20-percent-off code for followers to use on the sponsored product, with an invitation for fans to join her in taking the brand’s 30 day detox challenge.
It’s a move that doesn’t jive with her followers, who viewed the post as a promotion for weight loss. In no less than 7,000 comments, they’re voicing their opinions to let her know just that, writing things such as “Disappointing,” and “Girl, if you think drinking detox tea and ‘getting rid of the bloat’ is self-love, you still have a looong way to go.”
Admirers of the singer find the post particularly troubling as Lovato herself has struggled with a very public eating disorder. Consequently, she’s bonded with many fans suffering from similar illnesses, who they worry may be triggered by the promotion.
Others still are worried for Lovato’s own health. While a nutritionist who spoke to Teen Vogue says that significant weight loss isn’t typical with such a product (“The weight loss from [detox teas] is primarily, and probably all, water weight. If true weight loss occurs, it is because a caloric deficit also occurred from a change in eating habits”), there is concern from fans that such a body-focused challenge could trigger a relapse, as well as expose her to other health risks: A quick glance at the fine print reveals the tea’s first ingredient to be senna root, which is not recommended to be taken for more than two weeks, and can actually be fairly dangerous with long-term use (side effects include muscle weakness, heart function disorders, and liver damage, to name a few).
Lovato, thus far, has not commented
Do you think Demi got this one wrong? Tell us @BritandCo!
(h/t Teen Vogue; Photos via Rick Kern + Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty)
