Experiences and perspectives of children attending a weight loss camp in China: a qualitative study

Modernisation, urbanisation and the globalisation of food markets have exposed Chinese children to an obesogenic environment. With the dramatic increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Chinese children, there are now over 2000 weight loss camps for children. The aim of this study was to investigate how one typical weight loss camp operates and to explore the experiences and perceptions of children attending the camp.

This study utilised ethnographic techniques and semi-structured interviews with children attending a 28-day summer weight loss camp in Hangzhou, China. All children attending at the time of the study were included. Field notes were taken, and interviews with children were recorded, transcribed and analysed into themes.

Nine boys and 10 girls aged 7-18 years with a body mass index ranging from 21 to 37 kg/m(2) were interviewed. The weight loss programme combined dietary restriction (<350 calories/meal) and a daily schedule of 8 h of exercise in outdoor temperatures of around 40 °C. Field observation and interviews showed that the regime was distressing for all the children who suffered hunger and exhaustion leading to crying, squabbling, fighting and desperate phone calls to parents. All felt their weight loss could not be sustained.

The extreme conditions and total absence of health and nutrition education at the camp were of great concern. Parents should be aware of the potential dangers and long-term ineffectiveness of such interventions. At the very least, these camps must be subject to regulation.