"Strafing is an approach to dieting that minimizes caloric intake and, in the still developing mind of an adolescent, enhances the act of eating by incorporating an element of challenge and in some cases even risk," pediatric endocrinologist and nutrition expert Mort Fishman explained. "Participants in strafing stand anywhere from a few to several feet apart and attempt to throw food into each other's mouth. It's quite messy and very little food is actually consumed."
Some experts, like child psychologist Yerma Brownbeck, are more optimistic. They point to the fact that strafing requires interaction with peers in a world where most teens, although connected by a variety of social media outlets, have become more physically isolated than in any previous generation. "Strafing typically requires more than one person, so it may be a great means of encouraging healthy socialization and physical activity, but there have been reports of solo-strafing. So far these are sad and unsubstantiated."
The American Academy of Pediatrics, a group dedicated to the health and well-being of children, has raised concerns about the risk of choking inherent in strafing. Seven deaths have already been attributed to the fad, although the official causes of death have not been released by authorities at this time. If accurate, and taking into account the surge in popularity after reports that Miley Cyrus was recently seen strafing in a London nightclub, the number of fatalities may be on the rise.
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