‘Occupational bug’: China surgeon goes viral for weighing 150kg due to work stress, bad diet

A Shanghai doctor has gone viral because he weighs 150kg, with some internet users jokingly asking whether they should follow such a plump person’s prescriptions.Chest surgeon Xiang Ruilong, who was born in the 1980s, works at Shanghai Yueyang Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western Medicine Hospital.Standing at 1.84m tall, he weighs in at 150kg, the Xinmin Evening News reported.Xiang said he was about 110kg when he started working as a resident doctor over 10 years ago.Xiang Ruilong, above, says he has tried to lose weight but keeps putting it back on. Photo: BaiduHe gained weight over the past few years mainly due to high pressure from his job, the report said.“Standing beside the operating table, I feel I am occupying a lot of space. If I stand for many hours, my waist aches greatly,” Xiang was quoted as saying.He said he had tried to slim, but each time he lost some weight, it rebounded, sometimes even exceeding the previous level.“I tell my patients to control their mouth in terms of what they eat. In many occasions, patients just looked at me directly. They seem to be thinking: doctor, you are so fat yourself,” said Xiang.A close-up photograph of Xiang’s hands, above, shows just how big he is. Photo: BaiduThe doctor said he felt sorry about the situation and described his problem as “obesity caused by stress”.He said he is busy doing several surgeries every day and eats whatever is available.“As long as I am busy and tired, I will gain weight. It’s hard for me to implement the weight-losing plan for a long time,” Xiang said.Xiang chats to a fellow medical professional at his workplace. Photo: Baidu“I know all the health-related knowledge, but I cannot follow those instructions. Obesity is like an ‘occupation bug’ for us doctors,” he added.Further ReadingYao Zheng, vice director of the hospital, told the media that doctors are simply ordinary people who have to deal with work stress.“They have hectic work schedules, ranging from surgeries to consultations. They usually do not have time for rest or sport. These are actually unhealthy life habits,” said Yao.Xiang said he wanted to lose 50kg within a year.He is optimistic this time partly because he recently joined a slimming training camp organised by the hospital’s endocrine and weight management centre.Xiang, far-right, has a hearty laugh as he is photographed with his colleagues. Photo: BaiduThe Chinese Residents Nutrition and Chronic Disease Report issued by the National Health Commission in 2024 showed that 51 per cent of adults in the country are overweight, a condition defined with the Body Mass Index (BMI) as beyond 24.Xiang’s story has caused a buzz on social media.“I understand him. I also have got the obesity by overwork. When I am under stress, I will resort to eating a lot,” said one internet user.“Is this an industrial injury for him?” joked another person.