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 northwest China, fueling a debate over how to regulate the influencer industry.
The death of the 21-year-old influencer, who posted under the name Cuihua, has prompted state media to warn about the safety risks involved in weight-loss camps and renewed concerns over the pressures women are under to conform to mainstream beauty standards.
It has also intensified scrutiny of the influencer industry, coming 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 for 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, state media outlets in the country reported.
She had recently posted several videos of herself undergoing intensive training exercises and shared that she weighed 156 kilogrammes (344 pounds) and was trying to lose 100 kilogrammes.
Videos posted on the young influencer’s account showing her running and weightlifting were shared heavily on Chinese social media and also appeared in various state media outlets following her death late last month.
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 kilogrammes (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 have been 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.
CNN
