中国人的肥胖问题日益严重

This would be a brave performance anywhere in the world. But here in China, it's an invitation to ridicule. In a country where most people are naturally slim, being overweight, especially if you are a woman, is frowned upon. But these dancers, they call themselves the ‘fat artistic troupe’, are trying to change people's minds.

"I used to think that life was very unfair. I even attempted suicide. But since I've started dancing, I feel that society can finally accept me." And the fact is China itself is changing shape.

Once upon a time, it was a country of equally thin communists. Now socialist regality has given way to capitalist excess, weighing China down with the fruits of consumerism.

"Well, in the last 30 years, it has been a process of famine to feast in 2 generations. Availability, accessibility of food is just widespread now. So people have more money and they are just eating more, more and more of everything."

"There are already 100 million obese Chinese. And that number is predicted to double in just 5 years. This country's obesity epidemic has caused a spike in health problems like diabetes and heart disease."

So now China is on a diet working off the telltale signs of economic success. In a country that used to worry about malnutrition, these are very strange things. At Love the People Diet Hospital, the doctors have turned to traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture, they say, can suppress appetite and speed up their patients' metabolisms. Xiao Yang weighs in at 23 stone, and wants to end the discrimination she suffered her whole life.

"If 2 people go for the same job with exactly the same skills, they will always pick the more beautiful one and don't even get the thoughts about finding a man."

They may be new to the diet game. But the Chinese have learned the old lesson very quickly: "No pain, no gain."

Holly Williams, Sky News, Tianjin, China.