Even belligerent dictators can't escape the pressure of body shape ideals it seems, with CNN today running a video focusing on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's "weight gain".

"He seems to strain the bounds of his pin-striped suit as he inspects crops at a government farm," the reporter says, stopping short of suggesting he has been 'pouring his curves' into military garb of late.

"At one point he strolls around with his jacket unbuttoned," they add, as if to suggest that the Glorious Leader isn't beach body ready and probably should think twice about making any public visits to industrial lubricant factories in future.

CNN had not one but two experts in its 'Situation Room' to discuss the news.

"You can see that he's always been overweight, but he appears to be putting on considerable weight," one says. "The likelihood is as a dictator of a country there's nobody there to tell him to say no."

The news station hints that being a nefarious autocrat has taken a "physical toll" on Kim Jong-un, and while it tries to contextualise this with regards to what it means for the future of his reign, there's no shortage of lifestyle fluff.