Over the years, people have tried and continue to try crazy things in the name of weight loss . A cotton diet Thus, those who seek to lower their scales eat cotton balls soaked in juice to reduce their appetite and decrease their daily calorie intake. But, ingesting cotton balls is potentially deadly.

The trend originated in the fashion industry, where women are encouraged to stay dangerously thin for the sake of fashion, and then spread to the internet, where eating cotton balls flavored with juice can help them feel full without consuming any food. However, this is not only a bad, but potentially deadly approach to weight loss.

The cotton diet as an eating disorder

Eating cotton balls - or any non-food item - in an effort to lose weight is not a diet. It is an eating disorder. Therefore, just like eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating, the cotton diet comes with serious health risks.

Eating disorders usually stem from body dissatisfaction. Almost half of the people treated for disorders also live with mood disorders, such as depression. In other words, those who use approaches like the cotton diet may be dealing with some mental health conditions.

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Fatal complications of the cotton diet

Extreme diets always come with risks, and the cotton diet is no exception. Here are some ways in which this methodology can cause harm.

Intestinal obstruction

The body cannot digest cotton balls, so they can mix with mucus and other food particles, creating a mass known as a bezoar. Therefore, when something cannot be digested, it can obstruct the digestive tract. Early signs of an obstruction include:

• Nausea

• Colic

• Diarrhea

• Constipation

• Abdominal distension (bloating)

• Abdominal pain.

An intestinal obstruction prevents the passage of food and fluid. Therefore, if left untreated, it can lead to the death of healthy tissue and infection. An intestinal obstruction is a medical emergency. Therefore, bezoars must be surgically removed.

Anorexia nervosa

An eating and psychological disorder, anorexia nervosa involves an extreme fear of gaining weight. People with anorexia go to potentially deadly extremes to lose weight. According to the American Institute of Health, the death rate from anorexia is 10%. It is usually caused by heart or other organ failure.

Malnutrition

Malnutrition occurs when the body is unable to obtain the nutrients necessary for survival, so long-term malnutrition, such as can occur with disordered eating, can lead to increased risk of infection and even death.

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