At the eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world’s first national-level expo dedicated to imported goods and services, the spotlight has turned on products and technologies that promise to help people lose weight — from gastric balloons and smartwatches to AI-driven fitness systems and health foods.

The gadgets come amid China’s three-year weight management campaign, launched last June, which aims to establish nationwide goals to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent obesity.

The campaign is a response to growing levels of obesity in the country. According to 2024 data from the National Health Commission, if current trends continue, 70.5% of Chinese adults and 31.8% of children will be overweight or obese by 2030.

“Obesity has become a global issue and a major health concern in China,” said Wang Jing, senior product manager at the China branch of Boston Scientific, a multinational biotechnology and biomedical engineering firm headquartered in the U.S. 

“This year, the National Health Commission launched the ‘Weight Management Year’ initiative, showing strong policy support from the top level. Our product fits perfectly into this national momentum,” Wang added.

Boston Scientific showcased the second generation of its Orbera365™ gastric balloon at the expo. Following implantation, the balloon is designed to reduce stomach capacity and induce a feeling of satiety. This new version can remain in the body for up to one year — twice as long as the previous model — and is suitable for patients with a BMI between 30 and 50.

“With its minimally invasive, reversible, and quick-recovery features, it fills a technological gap in China’s endoscopic weight-loss field,” said Wang.

The product has already completed its first clinical trials, which took place in the pilot zone of southern China’s Greater Bay Area. A patient weighing over 150 kilograms lost more than 15 kilograms within a month after the procedure, according to Wang. She added that the treatment not only helped improve metabolic health markers but also boosted patients’ confidence and social reintegration.

The gastric balloon isn’t the only weight-loss device at CIIE. The ObeEnd electronic weight-loss wristband, developed by Canada-based biotech firm WAT Medical Enterprise, has also drawn steady crowds of curious visitors. 

Shen Chuangkai from ObeEnd’s operations department told Sixth Tone that the device delivers mild electrical pulses to stimulate the wrist’s median nerve, sending signals to the brain to create a sense of fullness.

“Users wear the watch 15 minutes before eating and take it off 15 to 30 minutes afterward,” explained Shen, adding that the electrical intensity can be adjusted for comfort.

According to Shen, during a four-week clinical trial at Jiaxing First Hospital in China’s eastern Zhejiang province, participants’ average BMI dropped from 32.76 to 32.16. The company plans to launch the product after the 2026 Spring Festival in mid-February, priced at around 500 yuan ($70).

“Some people may worry about controlling their diet or eating more healthily when trying to lose weight,” said Shen. “But with our wristband, there’s no need to worry about that. You can wear it while eating whatever you like.”

Nutrition and exercise products are also major highlights at this year’s CIIE, with fitness equipment company Johnson Health Tech setting up an interactive booth where visitors can undergo AI-assisted body composition analysis, receive personalized workout plans, and experience after-sports massages on site. 

In line with the national health drive, this year’s CIIE also features a Sports Park for the first time, where visitors can enjoy activities such as basketball, table tennis, curling, and even VR skiing. 

Editor: Marianne Gunnarsson.

(Header image: A staff member from Boston Scientific introduces the Orbera365™  gastric balloon at the Eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, Nov. 4, 2025. Yang Yuran/CNS/VCG)