From ‘A4 waist’ to boxing rings and Ozempic: East Asia rethinks fitness

In China’s 2024 acclaimed film Yolo, plus-size main character Du Leying, played by Jia Ling, says her goal “isn’t to lose weight, it’s to exercise and win.” In one scene, she expresses interest in participating in a boxing match. “Ah, need to lose weight,” a boxing club representative responds. But Du Leying persists: “No, I want to participate in a boxing match,” which she ultimately does. Beyond fiction, the ethos of fitness for all is gaining traction in China. More netizens are embracing the “muscle beneath fat” (脂包肌) body, a term celebrating gym-goers who showcase strength and stamina even if they don’t have visible abs or a lean physique. A report from Gym Square suggests it’s time to move past the narrow beauty standards of “swan arms” and an “A4 waist” and to stop fixating on an ideal body fat percentage. Fitness culture in East Asia shifts beyond weight loss The perception of exercise has evolved from a tool for weight loss into a lifestyle centered on physical and mental well-being. In China, hitting the gym is no longer just about getting as thin as possible for women, or achieving a sub-15% body fat percentage for men. Instead, people are working out to improve overall health, set goals, and build discipline. “The Chinese mindset insists on the power of self-discipline,” says Anaïs Bournonville, CEO of brand consultancy AB Advisory. This aligns with South Korea’s growing fitness culture, where the term “ounwan,” meaning “workout completed today,” has gained popularity. Eunmi Byun, a South Korea-based independent researcher, said fitness is increasingly seen as a daily habit rather than a temporary effort to achieve a certain body type. In Japan, the approach to fitness has historically been rooted in diet culture, particularly for women. But attitudes are shifting. “I see more women avoiding fad diets and instead going to the gym for personal training sessions,” Madoka Suganuma, a Tokyo-based qualitative researcher, tells Jing Daily. Previously, many Japanese women avoided strength training out of fear of gaining muscle, but that stigma is fading. Female influencers and models are now promoting weightlifting, inspiring more women to follow suit. Fitness as a status symbol in China For China’s affluent consumers, fitness has even become a status symbol. “Today’s sophistication is increasingly shaped by questions like: What do I do for fitness? What do I do for wellness?” says Jonathan Travers-Smith, CEO and founder of consultancy Hot Pot China. “It’s not just about getting slim — it’s about being active, socializing, and engaging with others.” The Chinese government has played a significant role in fueling this fitness movement through the Healthy China 2030 Plan and the 2021-2025 National Fitness Plan. The latter aims to increase the proportion of citizens engaging in regular physical activity to 38.5%. To achieve this, the government has invested in developing accessible fitness facilities, ensuring all citizens are within a 15-minute walk of an exercise space. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of gym memberships in China surged to 70 million from 48 million, according to China Daily and Statista. Additionally, 41% of Chinese consumers plan to increase spending on health-related products, with rising demand for supplements, traditional Chinese medicine, and fitness-related goods, according to a 2025 China Consumer Survey by AlixPartners. Japan, South Korea embrace wellness beyond fitness Japan has already embraced this synergy between fitness practice and spending more on health and wellness. “In recent years, there has been a shift toward a balanced approach — more protein, fiber, fermented foods for gut and skin health, and exercise,” Suganuma says. While obesity rates in Japan and South Korea remain low, demand for protein supplements and muscle-building products is strong. In contrast, China faces rising obesity rates. By 2030, more than 60% of Chinese adults could suffer from abdominal obesity, and two-thirds may be affected by being overweight or obese. Ozempic and Wegovy fuel weight-loss trends in China In response to this growing concern, weight-loss solutions such as intensive fitness boot camps and GLP-1 medications — including semaglutide (known as Ozempic and Wegovy) — are gaining popularity. Originally designed for diabetes management, these weekly injections are now being used by non-diabetic patients for weight loss. In China, weight-loss drugs are widely accessible. According to an experiment by MarketWatch, people can obtain Ozempic and Wegovy, which went on sale in the market last year, within an hour for as little as $100 a month via teleconsultation. “These weight-loss drugs resonated with Chinese netizens who are confronted daily with an ideal beauty standard, especially on Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote),” Bournonville said. She adds that the hashtag #Ozempic amassed over 1 million views and 5,000 discussions before the platform added a disclaimer urging users to seek medical advice for weight-related concerns. In contrast, weight-loss drugs are met with skepticism in Japan and South Korea. “In Korea, Ozempic is primarily prescribed for diabetes management and is not easily accessible for weight loss,” Byun said. “Due to concerns about side effects, including rebound weight gain, many people view drug-based weight loss as unnatural or riskier than traditional diet and exercise methods.” Suganuma echoed similar sentiments in Japan. “People know that losing weight isn’t the end-all-be-all of health,” she says. “As a rapidly aging society, we are more concerned about staying healthy and maintaining cognitive sharpness.” Health over weight loss: The future of fitness in East Asia By increasing feelings of fullness, GLP-1 drugs are already influencing eating habits, prompting speculation about their potential impact on the food and beverage industry. Some medical experts report that individuals taking the drugs experience reduced appetite and a preference for healthier food choices. In the U.S., Walmart analyzed purchasing behavior among customers on GLP-1 medication. “We do see a slight pullback in the overall basket,” John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., told Bloomberg. “Just fewer units, slightly fewer calories.” Could similar changes occur in China, where food plays a crucial cultural role? Brand consultant Bournonville believes otherwise. “Western culture has moved from overconsumption of processed and fast food to extreme weight-loss drugs,” she says. “But food plays a huge role in social gatherings in China. Traditional Chinese Medicine has always viewed food as nourishing and medicinal rather than an enemy.” To her, brands tapping into this shift from fitness to wellness should focus on supporting overall health — both mental and physical — by addressing fundamental needs such as sleep, stress, loneliness, and inactivity. “If brands are to be inspired by a motto, it should be this: Losing weight is easy, but maintaining health is difficult,” she says.

From ‘A4 waist’ to boxing rings and Ozempic: East Asia rethinks fitness

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Published March 11, 2025

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From ‘A4 waist’ to boxing rings and Ozempic: East Asia rethinks fitness