KOZHIKODE: A 19-year-old woman from Meruvambayi in Kerala's Kannur district lost her life after months of extreme 'water fasting' regimen, influenced by weight loss advice dished out online.
She had abstained from proper food for nearly a year and had been mainly surviving on water. Doctors said the death resulted from complications arising from anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder with complex mental, behavioural and physical symptoms, including intense fear of gaining weight.
Sreenanda, a first-year degree student of Pazhassiraja NSS College at Mattannur, was undergoing treatment at Thalassery Cooperative Hospital for the past 10 days. She had been put on ventilator support four days before she died on Saturday.
Dr Nagesh Prabhu, who treated her, said Sreenanda was bedridden and extremely underweight when she was brought to the hospital.
"Her blood pressure and pulse were very weak. Her blood sugar was in the 40-50 level and the electrolyte level was very low. The internal organs, including stomach and intestine, had sustained damage due to very low intake of food," he said.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
- A 19-year-old woman from Kerala's Kannur district died after following an extreme "water fasting" regimen for nearly a year, influenced by online weight loss advice.
- Doctors confirmed she suffered from anorexia nervosa, a severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and extreme dietary restrictions.
- She was hospitalized at Thalassery Cooperative Hospital for 10 days, where her condition worsened, leading to ventilator support four days before her death.
- Medical reports revealed she was severely underweight, with dangerously low blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar, and electrolyte levels, causing damage to internal organs.
- Her tragic death has raised concerns over the dangers of unregulated online health advice and the impact of social media on young individuals' body image and eating habits.
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