Chinese Surgeon Opens Up About Stressful Life: No Time to Rest as Weight Balloons to 150kg
A Shanghai thoracic surgeon has sparked online debate after revealing his weight reached 150kg due to extreme work stress, with little time to rest or exercise during grueling surgical schedules.
A thoracic surgeon from Shanghai, China has become an internet sensation after reports emerged that he weighs 150 kilograms, prompting widespread online debate about physician credibility and professional image. The doctor in question is Xiang Rulong, a thoracic surgeon born in the 1980s who currently works at Yueyang Hospital, which integrates traditional Chinese medicine with Western medicine in Shanghai.
Local media reports indicate he stands 184 centimeters tall and has experienced continuous weight gain over the past decade, from approximately 110 kilograms when he started as a resident physician to his current weight of 150 kilograms. Xiang revealed that the weight gain primarily stems from stress and pressure from handling multiple surgical cases daily in the operating room, leaving him virtually no time to rest or properly manage his health.
He described the demanding work conditions, explaining that he sometimes stands for hours during surgeries, causing severe back and waist pain, and feels his body "takes up too much space in the operating room"—a reflection of the physical burden his increased weight creates. Despite his direct knowledge of health matters, Xiang admitted that applying this knowledge to himself is difficult due to his rushed lifestyle, forcing him to eat whatever he can find without any consistent long-term control plan.
Xiang joked that patients sometimes look at him thinking, "The doctor himself is overweight, so how can he give health advice?" He acknowledged his obesity is like a "bug from his profession" resulting from stress and hard work. Hospital deputy director Yao Zheng noted that doctors are ordinary people facing high pressure, with schedules packed from surgeries to patient examinations, leaving little time for exercise or self-care—a critical factor affecting long-term health.
Xiang revealed he aims to lose 50 kilograms within one year and is participating in a weight management program run by the hospital's endocrinology and weight management center, hoping to improve his health management. The 2024 report on nutrition and chronic diseases of the Chinese population, released by the Chinese National Health Commission, indicates approximately 51% of Chinese adults are overweight using a BMI index exceeding 24 as the benchmark.
Xiang's story continues circulating widely in Chinese online communities, becoming a focal point reflecting health problems affecting many working people. One netizen commented, "I understand him. I'm also overweight from hard work. When stressed, I eat more." Another joked, "Is this considered a work-related accident?"
