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Poster for YOLO. [Photo from web]

Following the debut of the Year of the Dragon Spring Festival blockbuster You Only Live Once on screens across China, fervent discussions are underway regarding the transformative weight-loss journey depicted in the film.

The movie follows protagonist Du Leying, who finds redemption and self-assurance through boxing. Off-screen, director Jia Ling, who also played the role of Du, grabbed headlines by shedding approximately 50 kilograms during the filming process.

Yet, concerns have emerged regarding the suitability of such drastic weight reduction methods for the broader population.

Mao Qibin, director of the Endocrinology Department and weight management expert at the Second People's Hospital of Shaoxing, acknowledges the extraordinary nature of this feat.

"Weight loss is common, but shedding 50 percent of body weight in such a brief timeframe is truly exceptional in terms of both speed and magnitude," he said.

Mao elaborates that a typical yearly weight loss range falls between 30 to 40 kg, making a 50-kg reduction within a year surpass the usual bounds of weight reduction. However, the extent of weight loss achievable varies based on individual factors like initial body weight and overall health.

Reflecting on Jia's remarkable transformation, Yu Kelan, a weight loss specialist at the Shaoxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, stresses the necessity of professional guidance for such rapid weight loss, a challenge that many may struggle to take on.