A 21-year-old influencer has died after an attempt to lose 200 lbs in a short space of time.
The woman, known as Cuihua, joined a weight loss camp in China that reportedly involved high-intensity workouts and a strict diet. The Shanghai Morning News suggested Cuihua would live stream her workouts to her 10,000 followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
She allegedly shared that she lost 57 lbs in the first two months, before dropping a further 23 lbs over the next six months.
While her cause of death has not yet been shared, her parents reported that she went to hospital after feeling unwell following exercise.
"Thank you to everyone for your support and love for Cuihua," they said in a translated statement on Douyin.
"Our child has gone to heaven, and we are still processing all of this.
"We hope that people won't be misguided by malicious individuals for their entertainment, which could harm parents and family.
"Let our child rest in peace, thank you!"
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They went on to note that Cuihua's death didn't happen at the fitness camp.
"It didn’t happen at the [training camp], please don’t cyber bully any more training camps, it’s over, we don’t want to be sad," they continued.
According to News Corp, fans expressed their concerns on the Chinese platform with one reportedly writing: "You should take it slowly to keep your heart rate within the aerobic safety range. It can’t be high-intensity all at once, the heart and knees can’t stand it, and it is easy to die suddenly."
A second added: “These coaches really don’t have any comprehensive knowledge, and they think they are all sports school trainees.”
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