An 18-year-old girl from Thalassery, Kerala died after following a 'water only' diet in an attempt to lose weight. The teenager abstained from proper food for almost six months and survived on hot water to lose weight.
Sree Nanda, a native of Meruvambai Thalassery who died on Sunday, used to follow online portals for a weight loss diet.
"She was hardly 24 kgs, bedridden. Her sugar levels, sodium, and BP were low. She was out on ventilator support. But her condition did not improve, and she succumbed," said Dr Nagesh Manohar Prabhu, a consultant physician at Thalaserry Co-operative Hospital.
Doctors at a Thalassery hospital also mentioned that the teen was suffering from the eating disorder anorexia.
Anorexia is an eating disorder in which people have a strong fear of gaining weight. Individuals with anorexia often limit the amount or type of food they eat to prevent weight gain or continue to lose weight. They can take drastic measures to lose weight that can put them at high risk of serious physical harm and death.
This incident highlights the dangers of blindly following fad diets, particularly those promoted on social media. Water fasting and many other fad diets have gained popularity across social media platforms over the past few years. However, they are highly risky methods that have the potential to cause severe health complications and even death.
What is water fasting?
Water fasting is a type of fast that restricts everything except water. While following this you cannot consume anything besides water. It is one of the viral social media trends that promises quick weight loss.
It is commonly believed that water fasting stimulates autophagy, a process that helps your body break down and recycle old parts of your cells. However, it can do more harm than good when done inappropriately.
Water fasts usually last for 24 to 72 hours. Water fasting beyond 72 hours without medical supervision is extremely precarious.
Some of the side effects of even short-term water fasting include:
- You will lose muscle mass
- It will make you dehydrated as 20-30% of your daily water intake comes from the foods you eat
- Your blood pressure can drop significantly
- It can worsen existing medical conditions
- You can suffer from severe nutritional deficiencies
- You may also experience electrolyte imbalance
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
