Torment of eating disorders, self-image growing

Other extreme

For Liu Sibo, 30, who has been taunted by the word "fat" since she was a young girl, eating disorders go to the other extreme.

She said she was subjected to ridicule by her classmates during lunchtime at elementary school because of the amount of food she ate.

Liu, who was born in Hebei province and is an actress, said: "I grew up being laughed at. I got used to it, but my unhealthy relationship with food didn't end until my health declined."

She was unable to control her eating, and her condition worsened. She developed high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, diabetes and even lost the sight in one eye. Since May 2019, she has taken medicine nine times a day and about 60 pills daily to keep her body functioning.

In April, Liu was admitted to China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, where she underwent sleeve gastrectomy surgery, a newer type of minimally invasive weight-loss procedure.

"It was devastating for me to lose the sight in one eye. I am an actress, and eye contact is crucial for my work, which gives me confidence. I feel relieved and satisfied when I portray another person," said Liu, who weighed 125kg before she received hospital treatment.

"I was afraid to go to a doctor. I just ignored the problems, but when I developed symptoms and they affected my career and health, I wanted to change things," she said.

Since the end of March, she has posted more than 50 short videos, recording her treatment and life before and after entering hospital. Liu now has nearly 30,000 followers on the Douyin social media platform.

She has won considerable support from fans. During her time in the hospital, Liu tried to look good each day by wearing makeup and different hairstyles. She also tried to cheer up other women who had similar problems.

In 18 days after the surgery, Liu lost more than 20kg, sharing this news with her fans, who gave her 42,000"likes".

"I was encouraged by these people, who I had never met. They cared about me and shared their stories with me. I want to tell my own story to help those with similar problems," she said.