Sananas is a lifestyle YouTuber from France. She has 1.7 million followers on YouTube, and millions of followers on other platforms.
On Friday, she posted a video entitled "How my body changed? Anorexia, diet and real solution," in which she gives advice and explains her eating habits.
"COMMENT MON CORPS A CHANGÉ ?ANOREXIE, REGIME & VRAIE SOLUTION" : https://t.co/Y70aykGALj via @YouTube
In the video, she says she loves Coca-Cola, and that she eats low-fat products — such as low-fat butter and loads of frozen foods — and drinks prepared juices. She also advises people to do a lot of sport.
View this video on YouTube
While some fans liked the video...
@sananas2106 @YouTube Je viens de voir ta vidéo elle ma grave motivée à mieux manger et a prendre soin de mon corps franchement merci💜
"I just saw your video, it seriously motivated me to eat better and to take care of my body. Frankly, thank you."
...many people took issue with her advice.
@sananas2106 @YouTube Ce que vous racontez la est scandaleux , et je ne suis même pas allée jusqu au bout de votre… https://t.co/snRf8qoYwM
"What you say is scandalous, and I have not even got to the end of your video. Really, it's shameful."
Cette vidéo est DANGEREUSE, cette ytbeuse n'est pas nutritionniste et ses conseils sont mauvais et faux. Super idée… https://t.co/KYMT0WGQCT
"This video is DANGEROUS, this YouTuber is not a nutritionist and her advice is bad and false. Great idea to make this kind of..."
-vidéo quand on a une communauté de filles d'environ 13 ans, vraiment top 👍 Non mais sérieux.
"...video when she has a community of girls of around 13-years-old, really great 👍
No, but seriously."
People pointed out that the ready meals recommended in the video were "stuffed with bad fat."
@sananas2106 @YouTube Les filles, ne suivez SURTOUT PAS ses conseils! Que des produits industriels bourrés de graisse mauvaise.
"Girls, DO NOT follow her advice! Those industrial products are stuffed with bad fat."
And that Coke Zero and fruit juices are not advised when you're on a diet.
Elle dit que de la Merde ! Conseillez du Coca zéro pour une perte de poids ou meme du jus de fruit lol.. https://t.co/Q9SG67EdP4
"She's speaking shit! Advising Coke Zero for weight loss, or even fruit juice, lol..."
des gens comme ma mère n'ont pas fait des études pr être diététicienne pr entendre des "buvez du coca zero/jus, man… https://t.co/me0UhbB3rV
"People like my mother have not studied to be a dietician to hear 'drink Coke Zero/juice, eat 0% cheese.'"
Others have requested that the video be removed.
@sananas2106 @YouTube Cc @youtube, c'est possible de supprimer cette vidéo qui raconte de la merde et qui est dangereuse pour la santé ?
"is it possible to remove this video which speaks shit and is dangerous for health?"
It was quickly noticed that many of the products mentioned in the video were sponsored.
Bonjour @60millions est-il légal de faire une vidéo "conseils nutritionnels" avec des placements de produits alimen… https://t.co/TOrhNgPr2Z
"Hello @60millions is it legal to make a 'nutritional advice' video with food placements?" (60 Millions is a French consumer magazine.)
In the description of her video, Sananas wrote that St Mamet's stewed fruit, which she praised, was a "sponsored product."
In response to the video, Laura Schellino, a dietician with a nutrition blog, posted a long thread that received a huge amount of attention. In her tweets she called it "not very pretty."
Bon, je viens de regarder la vidéo de @sananas2106. C'est pas joli joli.
She has been retweeted more than 2,300 times, and quoted many more times.
She considers these tips especially "scandalous" as the YouTuber has young teenagers among her followers — a group far more likely to be affected by eating disorders.
@sananas2106 C'est scandaleux d'entendre des trucs pareils quand le public visé est le plus à même de se confronter à des TCA.
Schellino said that low-fat products swap out fat for sugar, making them bad for you.
And that priority should be given to vegetable oils, such as olive or rapeseed oils, rather than eating low-fat butter.
She strongly advises against drinking Coke Zero and fruit juices as these products contain a lot of sugar, and explains that it is better for people to use a juicer to make their own fruit juices.
Schellino also said that the frozen meals promoted by Sananas should be removed from supermarkets as they are full of additives.
On Sunday, Sananas said that the video "is my experience, and that I'm not a nutritionist." She writes: "I'm talking about my personal change."
Je vous raconte Tout ! N'oubliez pas qu'il s'agit de mon expérience Et que je ne suis pas nutritionniste. Je parle… https://t.co/BogutSMVjZ
Buzzfeed News has contacted both Sananas and Laura Schellino for comment.
This post was translated from French.