Lose weight, earn beef: Eastern China district runs health challenge

(ECNS) - A district in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi, Jiangsu, has launched a weight-loss challenge offering participants beef and related products in exchange for the weight they shed, local authorities said.

The program was initiated by Shanbei subdistrict in Liangxi district, where participants can exchange the body weight they lose for different cuts of beef at the final weigh-in.

Participants can trade every 500 grams of weight lost for an equivalent amount of beef or related products, with a maximum exchange limit of 20 jin per person, the notice said. Organizers say the program encourages moderate and healthy weight loss.

A local official said the challenge was designed to help residents improve their health and maintain better physical condition and that the initiative has attracted strong interest since its launch.

China has increasingly promoted healthier lifestyles as concerns grow over rising obesity rates. During this year's "two sessions," weight management once again became a widely discussed topic.

(By Zhang Jiahao)