Kerala teen succumbs to extreme dieting after alleged body-shaming
Kannur (Kerala), Mar 11 (PTI): An 18-year-old girl in Kerala lost her life after following an unhealthy diet in an attempt to lose weight, allegedly after being body-shamed, doctors said.
The deceased, Sreenanda, a native of Koothuparamba in Kannur, passed away while undergoing treatment. She had been admitted to Thalassery Co-operative Hospital with severe health complications caused by the extreme diet.
She succumbed to her condition last Saturday while still under medical care.
Quoting her parents, doctors who treated the teenager at the Thalassery Co-operative Hospital said she had relied on YouTube for diet guidance after allegedly being body-shamed.
Her condition is suspected to be linked to anorexia nervosa, a severe eating disorder characterised by extreme food restriction, an intense fear of weight gain, and a distorted perception of body image, Dr Nagesh Manohar Prabhu, who treated her told PTI.
Sreenanda had drastically reduced her food intake as part of her weight-loss regimen.
Earlier, she had been taken to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, after complaining of difficulty in drinking water. The doctors there reportedly advised her parents to consult a psychiatrist, as they recognised that this was a serious case of anorexia nervosa. However, there was no follow-up.
Eventually, when she struggled to eat, she was brought to the Thalassery Co-operative Hospital.
"When she was admitted, her blood pressure was 70, oxygen level 70-72, and blood sugar 45. Her sodium and potassium levels were also critically low," Dr Prabhu said.
She had lost significant muscle mass due to prolonged malnutrition from her weight-loss regimen, he added.
While reviewing her case history, doctors examined her old photographs. "She appeared to weigh around 50 kg in her earlier photos. However, by the time she was brought to our hospital, she weighed less than 25 kg," the doctor said.
She reached this critical stage within three months.
"Her parents said she had started her own weight-loss treatment six months ago. She gradually reduced her food intake and completely stopped eating three months ago. The parents sought medical help only after she stopped drinking water," he said.
"The parents did not realise it was a psychiatric condition. They assumed it was just the influence of YouTube," Dr Prabhu said. "It was a case of anorexia nervosa, which could have been treated if detected in the early stages."
He also mentioned that the teenager was not in a condition to speak, and all information was provided by her parents.
A district health official declined to comment on the matter, stating that they had not reviewed the case history.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
