A Shanghai chest surgeon said work stress and long hospital hours caused his weight to reach 150 kg.
Dr. Xiang Ruilong described obesity among doctors as an “occupational bug” linked to burnout and irregular lifestyles.
Studies have linked sleep deprivation, shift work, and chronic stress among healthcare workers to obesity and metabolic disorders.
Researchers say physician burnout increased globally after the COVID-19 pandemic because of staffing shortages and prolonged workloads.
A 2025 global study projected that more than half of adults worldwide could become overweight or obese by 2050.
A chest surgeon from Shanghai, China, has gone viral online after publicly discussing how years of occupational stress, irregular meals, and long working hours contributed to his weight increasing to 150 kilograms.
According to South China Morning Post, Dr. Xiang Ruilong works at Shanghai Yueyang Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital. Reports stated that the surgeon, born in 1980, is 184 centimetres tall and currently weighs around 150 kg.
Dr. Xiang said he weighed approximately 110 kg when he began working as a resident doctor more than a decade ago. He attributed his gradual weight gain to prolonged workplace stress, heavy workloads, irregular eating patterns, and lack of time for exercise.
Speaking to media outlets cited by the South China Morning Post, Xiang said, “As long as I am busy and tired, I will gain weight. It’s hard for me to implement the weight-losing plan for a long time.” He described his condition as “obesity caused by stress.”
The surgeon explained that his daily routine often involves performing multiple surgeries, leaving little opportunity for structured meals or physical activity. He said he frequently eats whatever food is available during busy schedules.
Xiang also spoke about the physical challenges obesity has created during surgical procedures. According to Moneycontrol and South China Morning Post reports, he said, “Standing beside the operating table, I feel I am occupying a lot of space. If I stand for many hours, my waist aches greatly.”
He further stated that conversations with patients about diet and lifestyle changes sometimes become uncomfortable. “I tell my patients to control their mouth in terms of what they eat. In many occasions, patients just looked at me directly. They seem to be thinking: doctor, you are so fat yourself,” he said, according to Moneycontrol and SCMP reports.
Researchers have also examined how physician obesity may affect doctor-patient interactions. Some studies suggest patients may perceive overweight physicians as less convincing when discussing diet or lifestyle modification, even though obesity is influenced by complex biological, psychological, and occupational factors.
Dr. Xiang acknowledged that despite having medical knowledge about obesity and metabolic health, consistently following weight-loss strategies has been difficult because of his work schedule. He reportedly described obesity among doctors as an “occupational bug” or an occupational disease associated with chronic stress and overwork.
Hospital officials also commented on the issue. According to SCMP report, hospital administrators stated that physicians often face packed schedules involving surgeries, consultations, and extended shifts, which can limit opportunities for exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits.
Medical studies have increasingly linked physician burnout and sleep deprivation with obesity and metabolic disorders among healthcare workers. Research published in the Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Public Health in 2024 found that inadequate sleep among healthcare professionals was significantly associated with burnout and poor overall health outcomes. Other studies involving healthcare workers have reported that sleep disorders and reduced sleep duration are associated with higher rates of overweight and obesity.
Researchers say chronic stress can contribute to weight gain through prolonged elevation of cortisol, a stress hormone associated with increased appetite, fat accumulation, emotional eating, and disrupted glucose metabolism. Irregular work schedules, night duties, sleep disruption, and lack of time for exercise can further worsen metabolic health. Research has also shown that shift work and irregular sleep schedules can disrupt circadian rhythms, increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
Cardiothoracic surgeons and resident doctors are considered particularly vulnerable because of extended operating hours, overnight duties, and physically demanding schedules. A study published in the International Journal of Cardiology noted that sleep deprivation and burnout are common among cardiothoracic surgeons because of prolonged work demands.
Recent international reports have also highlighted concerns regarding physician fatigue and work-life imbalance. Surveys involving doctors in countries including India and the United Kingdom have reported increasing levels of burnout, exhaustion, and difficulty maintaining healthy lifestyles because of long work hours and workplace pressure. According to reports citing an Indian Medical Association survey, many doctors identified sleep deprivation, prolonged duty hours, and poor work-life balance as major contributors to physical and mental exhaustion.
Several studies published after the COVID-19 pandemic have reported worsening burnout, psychological stress, fatigue, and difficulty maintaining healthy lifestyles among healthcare professionals because of staffing shortages, increased workloads, prolonged emergency duties, and disrupted work-life balance. Public health experts increasingly describe obesity among healthcare workers as an occupational health concern linked to chronic stress, shift work, and prolonged working hours.
A 2025 global study published in The Lancet estimated that more than half of adults and one-third of children and adolescents worldwide could become overweight or obese by 2050 if current trends continue. Researchers identified poor diet, sedentary lifestyles, sleep disruption, stress, and demanding work environments as major contributing factors to rising obesity rates globally. Healthcare professionals working irregular shifts were identified among groups vulnerable to these risk factors.
The reports stated that Dr. Xiang recently joined a weight management training programme organised by the hospital’s Endocrine and Weight Control Center. He reportedly aims to lose around 50 kg within a year.
The story triggered widespread discussion on Chinese social media platforms after it went viral, with several users sharing similar experiences of stress-related weight gain and binge eating linked to overwork. Some users reportedly questioned whether obesity caused by long working hours should be considered an occupational health issue.
According to the 2024 Chinese Residents Nutrition and Chronic Disease Report released by China’s National Health Commission, more than half of Chinese adults are classified as overweight or obese based on body mass index standards. The report has raised concerns regarding increasing rates of obesity and related metabolic disorders in the country.
Saintila, J., et al. “Association between Sleep Duration and Burnout in Healthcare Professionals.” Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Public Health, 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10806404/.
Huang, H., et al. “Poor Sleep Quality and Overweight/Obesity in Healthcare Professionals.” BMC Public Health, 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11169736/.
Jarral, O. A., et al. “Sleep Deprivation Leads to Burnout and Cardiothoracic Surgeons Have to Deal with Its Consequences.” International Journal of Cardiology 179 (2015): 70–72. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167527314019482.
Proper, K. I., et al. “The Relationship between Shift Work and Metabolic Risk Factors.” Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health 42, no. 6 (2016): 481–493. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43999264.
GBD 2021 Adolescent and Adult BMI Collaborators. “Global Burden of Overweight and Obesity from 1990 to 2050.” The Lancet 403, no. 10477 (2025). https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00397-6/fulltext.
Indian Medical Association. “IMA Survey Highlights Burnout and Stress among Doctors.” Accessed May 19, 2026. https://www.ima-india.org.
Puhl, Rebecca M., et al. “Impact of Weight Bias and Stigma in Healthcare.” Current Obesity Reports 9, no. 4 (2020): 519–527. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-020-00414-z.
Shanafelt, Tait D., et al. “Changes in Burnout and Satisfaction with Work-Life Integration in Physicians during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings 97, no. 12 (2022): 2248–2258. https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(22)00550-0/fulltext.
World Health Organization. “Mental Health and Psychosocial Considerations during the COVID-19 Outbreak.” Accessed May 19, 2026. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-MentalHealth-2020.1.
(Rh/MSM)