{"id":563321,"date":"2026-08-09T01:06:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T01:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/563321\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T01:06:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T01:06:30","slug":"miranda-kerrs-diet-confession-and-why-its-so-damn-dangerous","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/563321\/","title":{"rendered":"Miranda Kerr’s diet confession and why it’s so damn dangerous"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Wednesday, Miranda Kerr<\/a> sparked a media frenzy after a clip of her describing her daily diet went viral.<\/p>\n

Appearing on the Let\u2019s Be Honest podcast, the former Victoria\u2019s Secret model, beauty founder and mother told host Kristin Cavallari that she dramatically simplified her diet after a six-year battle with IBS.<\/p>\n

The clip has since amassed more than 3.4 million views, with social media users flooding the comments to criticise\u2014and, in many cases, mock\u2014Kerr\u2019s eating habits. <\/p>\n

At the same time, news outlets have rushed to break down her diet meal by meal, highlighting just how restrictive it appears.<\/p>\n

And while it\u2019s fair to question the influence celebrities wield when discussing food and health, the bigger problem lies in the way mainstream media continues to amplify celebrity wellness routines as headline fodder. <\/p>\n

Labelling any diet as healthy isn\u2019t helpful <\/p>\n

In the clip, Cavallari says Kerr must be \u201cso healthy\u201d for maintaining her rigid diet, words that feel incredibly misplaced and harmful.<\/p>\n

Sarah Cox, Clinical Psychologist and Helpline Manager at the Butterfly Foundation<\/a>, notes that labelling a restrictive diet as healthy eating can reinforce dieting as a normal part of life. Which it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people want to be healthy, and messaging like this is harmful, because health is not achieved by cutting out whole food groups, restricting calories or following rigid \u2018food rules\u2019,\u201d Cox says.<\/p>\n

According to Cox, many types of disordered eating are repackaged and touted by celebrities under the guise of \u201cwellness<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlot of people are not aware that dieting is a significant risk factor for the development of an eating disorder,\u201d Cox explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cAustralian adolescents engaging in dieting are five times more likely to develop an eating disorder than those who do not diet.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, it should be noted that anyone can develop an eating disorder at any age.<\/p>\n

The problem with celebrity wellness <\/p>\n

Regardless, these days, it\u2019s commonplace for interviewers to ask A-listers about their diets and wellness regimes, and I get it.<\/p>\n

Celebrities are often so far removed from the real world that it can be titillating to hear that Hollywood\u2019s elites are giving themselves coffee enemas and indulging in rectal ozone therapy. Yes, these are examples specific to Gwyneth Paltrow<\/a>, who also frequently comes under fire for dangerous wellness advice.<\/p>\n

\"\"Goop queen Gwyneth Paltrow frequently comes under fire for her harmful wellness advice. (Credit: Getty) <\/p>\n

However, Cox says ideally, we should all receive health and nutrition advice from qualified and credible sources \u2014 not celebrities or social media.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile a nutritional or wellness approach might work for one person, it may not be suitable for someone else,\u201d Cox says.<\/p>\n

\u201cDifferent bodies have different needs, and even if we all ate and exercised the same way, we would still all look different.<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing celebrity diet and nutrition advice can set people up with unrealistic expectations, a sense of failure if it doesn\u2019t go how they expect, and even put their body in danger if they engage in extreme or harmful behaviours.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

While many Australians don\u2019t turn to celebrities for diet and health guidance, that isn\u2019t so much the case for younger Aussies. A 2023 study by Heart Smart Australia found that 53 per cent of Gen Zs turn to social media influencers for their go-to source of health advice.<\/p>\n

\"\"While Miranda Kerr is a former supermodel, she should not be hailed as a wellness guru. (Credit: Getty)<\/p>\n

The bottom line<\/p>\n

So yes, we should be annoyed.<\/p>\n

We should be annoyed that the clip of Miranda\u2019s diet was kept in the podcast and then pushed out on social media for a quick viral hit.<\/p>\n

We should be annoyed because constant messaging about thinness, dieting and \u201cwellness\u201d can feel suffocating. In fact, it\u2019s this type of content that Cox notes people contacting the Butterfly National Helpline \u2014 the leading foundation and helpline for body image-related issues \u2014 regularly cite as being overwhelmed by.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany say that seeing celebrities who fit the \u2018thin ideal\u2019, or who may be unwell themselves, causes real distress and can pull them back into unhelpful eating disorder thinking and behaviours,\u201d Cox notes.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor someone struggling with body image, this kind of content can deepen shame and worsen disordered eating.\u201d<\/p>\n

While conversations raising awareness and breaking down the stigma of disordered eating are incredibly important, the media has a responsibility to handle them with care.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should be handled thoughtfully, without glorifying weight loss or specific eating and exercise behaviours, and ideally alongside a broader, more diverse representation of bodies and health,\u201d Cox says.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoverage becomes harmful when it includes images of extreme thinness, mentions specific numbers like weight lost or gained, or details how much or how often someone \u2018should\u2019 eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an era where thinness is idealised more than ever, it\u2019s even more important for those with a platform, like Cavillari, to question the good that will come from amplifying the eating habits and \u201cwellness techniques\u201d of people whose careers are, at least in part, built around their bodies \u2014 and by extension, their thinness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Holding celebrities accountable for harmful diet advice is important, but so is ensuring our response informs the conversation instead of fuelling the outrage.<\/p>\n

For confidential & free support for eating disorders call the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) or visit www.butterfly.org.au<\/a> to chat online or email.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Profile\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSenior Lifestyle Content Producer
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMadison Bogisch\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tSenior Lifestyle Content Producer\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Having completed a Bachelor of Journalism and Professional Writing and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at the University of South Australia, Madi began her career writing for print and online publications including The Jakarta Post in Indonesia and, InDaily and Glam Adelaide in South Australia. Now based in Sydney, Madi is a Lifestyle Writer across Are Media’s weekly titles and, with a penchant for anything related to health, wellness and travel, she’s your go-to for the latest Pilates hot spot or trending destination for a girls trip.<\/p>\n

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