TikTok carnivore trend leads one teen to kill and eat rabbit, prompting school intervention
The TikTok carnivore trend, which encourages people to eat nothing but raw meat and other animal parts, is being taken too far by some Aussie teens.
A TikTok trend promoting the consumption of raw meat is getting kids into trouble at school, with some teens taking it too far.
The carnivore trend, which involves only eating food sourced from an animal, is making its way into Australian schools.
In one Victorian example, a high school boy killed a rabbit in a park before eating it raw.
The boy’s school – which the Herald Sun has chosen not to name – confirmed the incident occurred outside of school hours and off school property.
The matter was taken seriously and was addressed directly with the student and their family.
“We take this opportunity to remind all young people about online safety, personal responsibility and the importance of making positive choices,” the school principal said.
“We encourage all parents and carers to speak with their children about how they engage with social media.”
One parent said the trend was all about “the need to live off the land”.
“It’s where they only eat raw meat, and they are fanatical about it,” they said.
“It’s like they need to live off the land, eating only what they can catch.”
Other teens are posting clips showing them eating meat, particularly raw meat.
The carnivore diet, also known as the lion-diet, the primal diet, and the zero-carb diet, has featured prominently on social media since 2018.
Followers only eat meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, and low-lactose dairy products, including raw milk, while shunning vegetables, grains, and carbohydrates.
A typical carnivore meal consists of several scrambled eggs with a bowl of steak and a stick of butter.
Proponents of the carnivore diet, usually social media influencers, anecdotally cite their clear skin and rapid weight loss as proof that the diet works.
This rosy reading is widely disputed by medical experts.
The consumption of meat, at the expense of other food groups, can lead to a fibre and nutrient deficiency. In the long term, carnivorism increases the chance of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, medical experts say.
Despite the health risks, the diet has a persistent prominence on social media.
It’s even been controversially promoted by parents who start their babies on a meat-only diet.
An army of muscle-laden influencers has emerged to promote the carnivore diet.
One of the most prominent is a man named Brian Johnson, who goes by the online pseudonym ‘Liver King’.
Johnson has cultivated six million followers on TikTok and another three million on Instagram by promoting his toned body and caveman-like diet, while hiding his use of steroids.
Psychologist and commentator Jordan Peterson and podcaster Joe Rogan have also spoken in support of the diet.
This support is readily evident, as #carnivore has 334 thousand videos published on TikTok.
Originally published as TikTok carnivore trend leads one teen to kill and eat rabbit, prompting school intervention
