Americans are known to have a, somtimes unhealthy, obsession with weight and weight loss. They will try anything that promises weight loss espeially if it is fast acting with little regard to its effects on their health.

Tyra Banks discussed the controversial “Tapeworm Diet” on her daytime talk show. In this diet a peron ingests the parasite, tapeworm, and loses weight quickly without eating less.

Diet Review says concerning the “Tapeworm Diet”, “[The Tapeworm] secretes proteins in our intestinal tract that make our digestion of food much less efficient. A less efficient digestive systems means that you can consume more calories through your food since your “body guest” is also noshing on them for his own growth purposes. Some scientists estimate that those infected with a single tapeworm can lose up to one or two pounds each week.”

Banks actually found people willing to try this extreme diet, despite harmful side effects that it could have on ones health.