A social media influencer who was attempting to reduce more than half her body weight as an inspiration to her followers died while attending an intensive weight-loss boot camp in China, according to reports.
The death of the 21-year-old influencer, known on social media as Cuihua, has caused Chinese state media to warn residents about the safety dangers associated with weight-loss camps, as well as fresh concerns about the expectations placed on women to comply to beauty standards set by social media.
She died on June 10, according to Chinese media. Her death came just weeks after the death of a young man in the country who died after live-streaming himself consuming several bottles of powerful alcohol.
Cuihua has been filming her weight-loss journey for her tens of thousands of Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, followers in an attempt to help them in their own battles with obesity.
Cuihua, a Chinese social media celebrity, died at a weight loss camp while starving herself in an attempt to shed 100kg.
She recently posted many videos of herself performing intense training routines, revealing that she weighed 156 kilogrammes (344 pounds) and was attempting to shed 100 kilogrammes.
The account’s videos of her running and weightlifting were widely circulated on Chinese social media. Following her death, her videos were also shown on different state media outlets.
Cuihua, identified by her family name of Zhou, had entered many weight-loss programmes in several cities in an attempt to attain her goal and had shed more than 27 kilogrammes (60 pounds) in the two months preceding her death, according to China National Radio.
Cuihua had attended her final camp in Shaanxi province just two days before her death, according to CNR.
While that camp encouraged “nutritious meals, rest, and healthy exercise,” they claimed she decided to restrict her nutrition while simultaneously engaging in strenuous activity.
Cuihua training videos and photos have now been taken from the account.
State media agencies said that the influencer’s family received “compensation” from the Shaanxi weight loss camp, but did not specify how much.
Local authorities have stated that they are looking into the incident and whether the weight loss camp provided excessive or incorrect training.
Experts in eating disorders and sports nutrition caution that even seemingly healthy behaviours, such as increased physical activity and dieting, can be hazardous when driven by a negative body image and carried to extremes.
Problems can extend beyond mental health in extreme circumstances, resulting in significant medical complications affecting the heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and other organs.
According to the Lancet, a recent national survey of Chinese data indicates that more than half of Chinese adults are now either overweight or obese, and obesity rates are predicted to rise.
