HOUSTON • Not cool, fans of Kim Kardashian West said, after the celebrity posted a photo on Tuesday of her sucking a Flat Tummy lollipop, which promises to curb food cravings.

Given that she has more than 111 million Instagram followers and is a social influencer, fans said she should not be endorsing questionable practices. She deleted the post the next day.

Kardashian West's post is particularly tasteless, considering it is currently Mental Health Awareness Week. It is estimated that about 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

But Kardashian West is far from the only celebrity to have promoted dubious diet products on social media.

Kylie Jenner has also plugged "detox teas" on Instagram, claiming in one post that the drinks are "so good for your tummy area".

Regulators have warned that "just because you see a supplement product on a store shelf" or, indeed, on a celebrity's Instagram page, it "does not mean it is safe".

GUARDIAN