Key facts
- A Shanghai man named Liu sought to gain weight.
- He spent 10,000 yuan ($1,500) on online health products.
- The products were promoted as herbal and side-effect-free.
- Liu lost 6.5kg over one month.
- His experience became a trending topic on social media.
A man from Shanghai, identified only by his surname Liu, has become a trending topic on Chinese social media after an attempt to gain weight resulted in significant weight loss. Liu, a truck driver who is 1.78 meters tall and weighs 53 kilograms, had always felt he was too thin. In March, he encountered an influencer named Chen on social media who shared advice on weight gain. Liu contacted Chen, who assured him that the herbal products she sold were effective for weight gain and had no side effects, as they worked by adjusting the digestive system. Liu spent 10,000 yuan (approximately US$1,500) on these products, but instead of gaining weight, he lost 6.5 kilograms within a month. His experience was reported by the Shanghai Morning Post.