Add Us On GoogleAdd as a preferred source on Google
Mo. (Heartland News) – As a cyclospora outbreak spreads across the country, a social media trend is prompting some people to intentionally try to contract the parasite as a way to lose weight — a practice health officials say is dangerous and ineffective
The trend, referred to online as “cyclospora skinny,” involves deliberately eating unwashed produce in an attempt to become infected with the parasite
Mizzou Healthcare infectious diseases physician Dr. Taylor Nelson said the weight loss associated with a cyclospora infection is not what people seeking the trend may expect
“You’re primarily losing water weight because you become dehydrated,” Nelson said. “And so that’s not like effective fat loss, truly.”
Nelson said what registers on the scale is not burned fat but lost fluids, nutrients, and electrolytes
“You might, likely transiently lose some weight because of volume depletion and dehydration, but it’s not something that would be sustainable or safe,” she said
She also said the trend will not produce lasting results
“It’s not something that’s going to be long-lasting that would provide long-lasting weight loss,” Nelson said
The dehydration caused by cyclospora can be fatal. Michigan health officials confirmed the first two deaths in the United States linked to the outbreak this week
“Deaths can happen in patients who are immunocompromised or who have very, very severe dehydration linked to this diarrheal infection, but for the most part, people can make it through this infection relatively unscathed,” Nelson said
In Missouri, cases more than doubled this week, topping 1,000, with one recorded hospitalization
Nelson noted the state’s case count is elevated compared to other states
“It’s fairly widespread, but the number of cases in Missouri is reasonably high in comparison to other states,” she said
The CDC reports more than 10,000 cases across 45 states have been recorded nationwide
Copyright 2026 Heartland News. All rights reserved
