A social media influencer who was trying to lose more than half her body weight as an inspiration to her followers has reportedly died while attending an intensive weight loss camp in China, sparking controversy.

The death of the 21-year-old influencer, who posted under the name Cuihua, has prompted state media to warn of safety risks related to weight loss camps and concerns women face over beauty standards.

Cuihua had been documenting her weight loss journey for her tens of thousands of followers on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, in a bid to encourage them in the fight against obesity, the country's state media reported.

Recently she had posted several videos undergoing intense workouts and revealed that she weighed 156 kilograms and was trying to lose 100 kilograms.