A man in Shandong province, China, who had joined a weight-loss camp ahead of his engagement, was found dead in his dormitory just days after starting the programme, according to mainland media reports.
Litchi News reported that the deceased, identified as Mr Hou, had entered a closed-door slimming training camp in Tai’an on 13 April. He was discovered unresponsive on the morning of 16 April in his dormitory bed, with authorities later confirming his death.
His sister said Mr Hou had previously attended the same programme and felt it was effective, prompting him to rejoin in preparation for his upcoming engagement. She added that during a phone call on 15 April, her brother complained of feeling unwell. The following day, staff reportedly found him dead.
CCTV footage reportedly showed his room door remained open throughout the night, with the lights still switched on.
The family raised concerns over possible lapses in supervision at the facility, noting that by the time he was taken to hospital, medical staff had already confirmed signs of rigor mortis. They also pointed out that Mr Hou had undergone haemorrhoid surgery in February, though pre-operative checks showed no abnormalities.
Police in the area have confirmed that an investigation into the case is currently underway.
According to the agreement signed between Mr Hou and the Tai Shan Mei Lai Weight Loss Training Camp, he weighed 115kg and had enrolled in a 56-day intensive programme with a target weight loss of 17.5kg. The total cost of the programme was 2,760 yuan (approximately RM1,800).
The camp’s management stated that under its rules, no physical training is conducted during the first three days of enrolment. It also said Mr Hou had not yet begun formal training at the time of his death.
A staff member added that on 15 April, Mr Hou had reported constipation issues and was advised to seek medical attention the following day. He was also seen by other participants that night and was believed to still be awake late in the evening.
The facility further explained that dormitory checks are conducted intermittently to respect participants’ privacy, and noted that many trainees tend to sleep with their doors open due to warm weather conditions at the time.
