The death of overworked Ai Weiwei, an online model in China, has highlighted the need to care for one's health instead of working too hard.

The 22-year-old was a popular model and deputy managing director of a local media company. She gained fame as a "football baby" in the promotional campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and as an icon of an online game.

Ai was described as a workaholic who paid little attention to her health.

"Working overnight was very common for her," said Zhu Xing, Ai's agent, added the model used to work without rest for three consecutive days.

According to Zhu, Ai left her hometown in Jiangsu province for a performing career when she was 16, and she worked part-time to pay for her studies at an art school.

In 2006, she joined the Julong Network, where she gradually became a star model.

"Just had some oats for breakfast, and now my stomach really hurts," was one of the last posts Ai put up on her blog in February.

One week later, Ai collapsed at work. She was sent to a hospital in Fuzhou and was diagnosed with leukemia.

"And even when she was dreadfully ill, Ai insisted on continuing to work and keeping the seriousness of her illness a secret," Zhu said.

"It's a highly-competitive society, everyone is trying to grab every opportunity," said Zheng Qiwu, a sociologist with Xiamen University.

"I hope Ai's tragedy will ring a bell for those who pay excessive attention to work instead of their health. Don't wait until the last moment to learn the real meaning of life."