In 1903, Horace Fletcher promoted 'Fletcherizing,' a chewing craze that involved excessively chewing food and then spitting out the residue as a health practice. This fad gained popularity as a means to achieve better digestion and weight loss, reflecting early 20th-century attitudes towards health and wellness. The Fletcherism movement highlighted the intersection of diet, health, and social trends during this period, influencing public perceptions of nutrition.

The Fletcherism chewing craze of 1903 was satirized in early 20th-century poetry, which critiqued societal obsessions with health and modernity. Poets like T.S. Eliot employed humor and irony to explore the absurdities of contemporary life, reflecting the tensions between tradition and innovation.