Torment of eating disorders, self-image growing

Zhang said that in recent years she has seen an increasing number of people experiencing issues such as eating disorders and body shaming.

From the messages she received on her social media accounts, she noticed more young people, including teenagers of both genders, voicing concerns about eating disorders and body shaming.

"They told me they started to lose weight because everyone at their schools was constantly talking about dieting. They are concerned about their looks, and ask themselves questions such as 'Are my thighs too big?' I want to tell them that they should not define themselves by the readings on a set of weighing scales," Zhang said.

When she initially started to organize events to spread awareness about eating disorders, people said, "So what?"

Now, more and more people are joining Zhang's events to gain an understanding of the issue. "There has been an obvious change," she said.

In March last year, medical journal The Lancet reported that eating disorders are a disabling, deadly and costly mental condition that impairs physical health to a great degree and also psychosocial functioning.

It said eating disorders have been on the rise for the past 50 years, with more than 1.6 million people being diagnosed with such a condition. Those age 14 to 25 are most at risk.

Shanghai Mental Health Center has witnessed a rise in the number of patients with these disorders. In 2002, it only received eight such cases, compared with more than 2,700 in 2019.

Chen Jue, director of the facility's Eating Disorders Center, said in an earlier interview that just a few decades ago, the condition was extremely rare in China. The main focus of most people in low-paid blue-collar jobs was putting food on the table.

"Nowadays, being slim is not only associated with beauty, but also with self-discipline, success and even social class," Chen said.

The rise of social media, with online influencers regularly showing off their "perfect" bodies－face as small as a hand and waist thin enough to hide behind a sheet of A4 paper－has triggered competition among young Chinese.

The pursuit of bodily perfection is also evidenced by the booming cosmetic surgery industry in the country.

Last month, a group of "before "and "after" photos featuring operations to shape the calf muscles triggered controversy online. The surgery, which involves cutting nerves that control the muscles, is said to effectively slim the legs.

While some people proudly displayed their slim legs after the operation, others said they had experienced side effects, such as pigmentation.

Luo Chun, a doctor in the neurology department at a hospital in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, said: "I was shocked by the surgery. It's very difficult for nerves to recover after they have been cut. This leads to weakness and muscle wastage－even paralysis. It is no exaggeration to say that this kind of surgery is self-harming.

"Those beauty standards are twisted, toxic and harmful."