Across China, a controversial and extreme approach to tackling obesity is gaining traction. So-called 'fat prisons' – intense, residential weight-loss camps – are attracting hundreds of participants willing to submit to a gruelling, military-style regime for the promise of rapid transformation.
The Gruelling Regime of a 'Fat Prison'
Life inside these camps is governed by a strict, near-inescapable schedule. Alarms sound at 7.30am, heralding a day that includes a public weigh-in at 8am, hours of aerobics, weight classes, and high-intensity training, finally ending with a final weigh-out. Participants reportedly engage in physical activity for nearly twelve hours each day.
The facilities operate with tight security. One Australian influencer documenting her stay, known as 'eggeats' on Instagram, described a camp surrounded by high perimeter fences with a gate locked '24/7'. Leaving requires a 'valid reason', and camp staff are said to search personal belongings for any contraband snacks or items 'unrelated to weight loss'. Confiscated goods are reportedly not returned.
Despite the harsh environment, some influencers paint a more positive picture. Eggeats, a 28-year-old who left a 'high-paying' job in Australia, claims to have lost 4kg in just two weeks while enjoying meals of braised chicken, prawns, and vegetables included in the £740 ($1,000) monthly fee. She shares a bunk room and has a few hours of daily downtime.
Rapid Results and Tragic Consequences
The camps market extraordinary results, with some Chinese social media influencers boasting of shedding up to 10kg in a single week. However, these claims are shadowed by serious safety concerns and tragic outcomes.
In May, a 21-year-old influencer known as Cuihua from Henan province was found dead on her second day at a boot camp in Shanxi province. HK01 reported she had aimed to lose 100kg and had already lost nearly 30kg prior to her death. This incident prompted state media warnings and reignited debates about the intense pressure to conform to beauty standards.
The camps are primarily commercial, private enterprises capitalising on a growing national issue. According to the Global Obesity Observatory, 16.4% of Chinese adults were obese and 34.3% overweight in 2019, figures approaching those of high-income nations. For comparison, obesity rates are around 26.2% in the UK and 40.3% in the US.
A Societal Shift Fuelling a Booming Industry
Experts link the rise of 'fat prisons' to China's dramatic socioeconomic transformation. The nation has shifted from a rural, physically demanding society to one with more sedentary, office-based lifestyles. Associate Professor Pan Wang from the University of New South Wales notes that 'the concept of thinness has translated into a kind of social capital', creating a profitable market for the beauty and weight-loss industry.
While the Chinese Communist Party has invested in public health campaigns against obesity, these extreme private camps operate in a regulatory grey area. The death of Cuihua has forced a renewed examination of their methods, balancing the desperation for solutions to an obesity epidemic against the fundamental rights and safety of individuals seeking help.
