A social media influencer who was trying to lose more than half her body weight as an inspiration to her followers, has reportedly died while attending an intensive weight-loss boot camp in China.
The death of the 21-year-old influencer, who
posted on social media under the name Cuihua, has prompted Chinese state media
to warn citizens over the safety risks involved in weight-loss camps and renewed
concerns over the pressures women are under to conform to beauty standards set
by social media.
She died on June 10, Chinese media said. Her
death comes just weeks after a young man in the country died after
live-streaming himself drinking several bottles of strong alcohol.
Cuihua had been documenting her weight-loss
journey to her tens of thousands of followers on Douyin, China’s version of
TikTok, in a bid to encourage them in their own fights against obesity.
Chinese
social media influencer Cuihua dies at weight loss camp while starving herself
trying to lose 100kg
She had recently posted several videos of
herself undergoing intensive training exercises and shared that she weighed 156
kilograms (344 pounds) and was trying to lose 100 kilograms.
Videos posted on the account showed her
running and weight-lifting and they were shared heavily on Chinese social media
. Her videos also appeared in various state media outlets following her death.
China National Radio reported that Cuihua –
identified by her family name of Zhou had joined several weight-loss camps in
various cities in a bid to reach her goal and had lost more than 27 kilograms
(60 pounds) in the two months leading up to her death.
CNR said Cuihua had attended her final camp
in Shaanxi province just two days before her death.
While that camp promoted “nutritious meals,
rest and healthy exercise,” they said she had chosen to limit her diet while
also undergoing intense exercise.
Videos of Cuihua training have since been
removed from the account and pictures deleted.
State media outlets said that the
influencer’s family had received “compensation” from the weight loss camp in
Shaanxi, but did not say how much.
Local authorities have said they are
investigating the death and whether the weight loss camp was conducting
excessive or improper training.
Experts in eating disorders and sports
nutrition warn that even seemingly healthy behaviors such as increasing levels
of exercise and dieting can be harmful when motivated by a negative body image
and taken to extremes.
In extreme cases, problems can go beyond
mental health and lead to severe medical complications affecting the heart,
brain, liver, kidneys and other organs.
Recent
national survey in Chinese data suggests more than half of Chinese adults are
now either overweight or obese, according to the Lancet, and obesity rates are
expected to increase.
إرسال تعليق