Filmmaker Kevin Smith, who went vegan following a major heart attack in early 2018, was the target of a keto pill phishing scam.
The “Jay and Silent Bob” creator posted a screenshot of an ad using a photo of his weight loss without his permission. The post — which baits with “Here’s Why Celebrities Love Keto HD” — falsely attributes a quote to Smith. “No, I didn’t need to exercise every day. I’ve always liked to jog every few days, but I didn’t. The only thing I did was took these pills.”
Smith warned fans not to click on the image, which leads to a phishing site. He also took issue with being used to promote a pill — and a diet — that he doesn’t follow.
“I never did Keto: to lose weight after my heart attack, I went vegan,” the 49-year-old filmmaker wrote on Instagram, adding that he also became a Weight Watchers ambassador.
“That quote attributed to me is not only grammatically incorrect, I believe it’s also fabricated,” he continued. “As I’ve *never* jogged and the only pills I take are heart-related prescriptions mandated by my cardiologist.”
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Keto vs. Vegan
With a heavy emphasis on meat and dairy, the keto diet is practically veganism’s opposite. And many health professionals have pointed out that it can be detrimental to health — particularly heart health. A 2018 study from The Lancet Public Health on low-carb diets found that the keto diet — which replaces grains with protein and fats — can lower life expectancy.
According to former president of the American College of Cardiology Dr. Kim Williams, a study from the Journal of the American Heart Association also highlights similar risks. It found that those with past heart attacks who adopted a keto diet faced a 53 percent increase in mortality. “No one should be doing this,” he added.
Research also links a meat-heavy diet to a higher risk of a heart attack. But a plant-based diet is effective in preventing heart health issues, according to the American Heart Association. A study from the World Cancer Research Fund found that a plant-based diet can also reduce the risk of multiple forms of cancer by as much as 40 percent.
Last August, following a checkup with Marc Ladenheim, the doctor who saved his life, Smith revealed that the type of heart attack he experienced has a 20 percent survival rate. The filmmaker has been very vocal about his healthy lifestyle (balanced with a love for Veggie Grill’s vegan fast food) since recovering.
