CHIKI KURUKA SPEAKS ON DANGERS OF WEIGHT LOSS SHORT CUTS PROMOTED BY INFLUENCERS

Fitness coach and dancer, Chiki Kuruka has critiqued the dangerous obsession with weight loss, blaming influencers, quick-fix clinics, and capitalist-driven agendas for harming public health.

Kuruka’s comments come as Kenya, like the rest of the world, sees a surge in the promotion of off-label weight-loss injections and influencer-endorsed shortcuts that prioritise aesthetics over genuine wellbeing. “Watching ‘Fit For TV’ is such a painful thing to watch,” Kuruka stated, “Currently made worse with weight loss clinics, injections and influencers, weight should never be the primary focus of health, instead it’s one of many potential outcomes.”

With over 15 years of professional experience across ballet, the entertainment industry, and mental health, Kuruka points to the dangerous trend of the public trusting influencers over medical professionals. “People follow their favourite influencer, who they aspire to look like, more than trained medical professionals,” she warns, “no real knowledge of that influencer’s personal biomedical realities, metabolism, or even shortcuts behind the scenes.”

Her solution is clear, “I’ve said it my entire career, and I’ll say it again: the moment weight and health are removed from the same conversation is the moment we will see real health improvements.”

Kuruka said the root cause is capitalism and not health. “Trainers and spaces with a fundamental focus on ‘you will lose weight’ are doing that for capitalism, nothing more and nothing less,” she explains. “It gets to the root of who we are as psychological beings. Everyone wants to be seen and considered beautiful. However, pushing that agenda in and of itself is a cancer.”

She advocates for reframing what true health represents. “What makes you healthy? Your mind, your diet, your heart health, your lung health, your muscular health, your financial health, your sleep health, your recovery, your community! Let’s refocus on the right things and stop shaming people into short-term, short-result solutions.”