The authorities in a grass-roots community in eastern China have trended on social media for its “redundant flesh in exchange for beef” weight-loss initiative targeting local residents.
Since the Shanbei Community in Liangxi District, Wuxi, Jiangsu province, launched the creative health campaign on social media on March 9, more than 2,400 people applied to take part within three days, according to the news website The Paper.
Internet users have shown immense interest in the move, with many people living elsewhere saying they would like to move to the community.
According to the “weight-losing health challenge event” organised by the Shanbei Community, only employees who pay their social security or medical insurance in the region can apply to join.
Applicants must be at least “slightly chubby” with a body mass index (BMI) higher than 23. Also, women must have a waist measurement of more than 80cm while men’s waistline has to be 90cm or more.
They can apply by March 20 and have their weight measured at a designated venue during the period between March 23 and March 27. The authorities will build a dossier for each applicant, the poster said.
Applicants can try to lose weight from then on and check their new weight with the authority between January 1 and January 10 of next year.
The rewarding rules include that a person losing 0.5kg in weight can receive 0.5kg of beef or 1.5kg of ox bone, and a 1kg loss of weight gets an award of 0.5kg of ox tail.
1.5kg of redundant flesh would result in a gain of 0.5kg of ox innards, including the delicious omasum. 2kg of redundant flesh equals 0.5kg of ox tongue.
“If you lose more weight, you can receive more rewards. The cap for redundant flesh entitled for the reward exchange is 10kg,” the authorities said, adding that participants should lose weight in an “appropriate” way.
Meanwhile, the authorities have reminded people not to adopt unhealthy methods to lose weight, such as diet pills, emetics or other extreme means.
“If you have health issues caused by those inappropriate methods, you have to take responsibility yourself,” said the authority.
The slimming movement comes amid the backdrop of the Chinese central government’s concerns about its population’s weight.
In June 2024, the National Health Commission (NHC), along with 15 other national departments, issued a weight management action plan, vowing to raise the public’s weight management awareness, prompt the public to live a healthy lifestyle and improve the condition for obese people in three years.
At this year’s National People’s Congress (NPC) earlier this month (March), NHC’s director Lei Haichao said an adult’s BMI should be between 19 and 24.
“We will continue carrying on the weight management action to reduce the occurrence of chronic diseases,” said Lei at a press conference.
Han Jun, minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said at the NPC that Chinese residents’ edible oil consumption exceeds the scientific standard by 40 per cent.
The “redundant flesh in exchange for beef” scheme has sparked a lively online discussion after being viewed 65 million times on social media platforms.
“Is there a similar program in Nanjing? I want to participate,” a Nanjing-based internet user asked.
“I envy the residents in that community,” said another person.
“This is a good deed done by people’s good cadres,” said a third.
The scheme runs from March 20 until the end of this year. The reward exchange will be held from January 1 to 10 of next year.
