Xu Zhoulei swims naked during his obesity treatment in a Guangzhou hospital, after being unable to find suitable swimwear. Photo: CFP

Though only 14 years old, Xu Zhoulei has been struggling to lose weight for almost 10 years. At 146 centimeters tall, he weighs 150 kilograms.

Zhou's body weight started to climb when he was very young. He was 35 kilograms at 3, 40 kilograms at 4, and when he reached 6 years old, he was 60 kilograms. He has put on 10 kilograms each year since then.

Obesity not only makes his everyday life inconvenient, but also poses health hazards. His father Zhou Yaohua has brought him to hospitals around the country from their hometown in Jiangxi Province.

While obesity may be caused by a lot of factors including genes, nerve and insulin deterioration, it's key that Zhou himself follow the doctors' diet advice in order to lose weight. When he did so at 10 years old, he successfully dropped weight from more than 100 kilograms to 68 kilograms in six months in a fitness center.

But his weight more than doubled to the currant 150 kilograms shortly after that due to unrestricted food consumption.

This time his family are pinning fresh hope to a hospital in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, where he was offered a systemic exercise and diet plan, with medical assistance.

Obesity has become a thorny problem in China. Though the ratio of people affected by obesity is still low compared to developed countries, the number of obese people is exploding. According to a University of Washington study released earlier this year, China has 300 million overweight people, including more than 46 million obese adults.

Global Times

Xu blows balloons to improve his lung capacity and avoid choking in his sleep. Photo: CFP

Xu cries as nurses try to draw blood for testing. Photo: CFP

Xu yawns right after a meal. Photo: CFP

 

Xu's father is frustrated and angry as his son refuses to cooperate for a blood test. Photo: CFP

Nurses try to take away a bowl of beef that Xu was eager to eat outside the diet plan. Photo: CFP