Sreenanda survived without solid food for five to six months, battling an eating disorder for a year. Her health worsened, leading to severe malnutrition, organ damage, and dangerously low blood sugar, ultimately resulting in her death despite medical intervention
Published Mar 12, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 12, 2025 | 7:05 AM
M Sreenanda
Synopsis: M Sreenanda, an 18-year-old student from Kerala, passed away due to complications from anorexia nervosa after following an extreme crash diet found on YouTube. For months, she drastically reduced food intake, consuming only hot water. Despite treatment at multiple hospitals, her health continued to deteriorate, leading to severe organ damage. Sreenanda, battling an eating disorder for over a year, succumbed to her condition after severe malnutrition
M Sreenanda (18), a first-year student at Pazhassi Raja NSS College, Mattannur, Kerala, passed away due to health complications reportedly linked to a diet plan she followed from YouTube.
She was initially treated at Thalassery Co-operative Hospital before being shifted to Kozhikode Medical College. According to reports, Sreenanda had been drastically reducing her food intake in an attempt to lose weight.
She is survived by her parents, Alakkadan Sreedharan and M Sreeja, and her brother, Yadunand.
The official medical report confirmed that she succumbed to complications arising from anorexia nervosa. Reports suggest she had been following an extreme crash diet she found on YouTube, consuming primarily hot water in a desperate bid to lose weight.
Her family, unaware of the severity of her weight loss regimen, only realised the gravity of the situation when her health critically deteriorated.
For nearly five to six months, Sreenanda survived without solid food. She had reportedly been battling an eating disorder for about a year. When her health deteriorated, she was initially taken to Kozhikode Medical College and Hospital, where doctors advised a proper diet and psychiatric consultation.
However, her condition continued to decline.
Two weeks ago, she experienced a sharp drop in blood sugar and began having difficulty breathing. Dr. Nagesh Prabhu, who treated her at Thalassery Cooperative Hospital for ten days, revealed that her blood pressure and pulse were alarmingly weak. Her blood sugar levels fluctuated between 40 and 50, and she suffered from severe electrolyte imbalances.
Prolonged malnutrition had severely damaged her internal organs, including her stomach and intestines. Despite being placed on ventilator support, her body was too weak to recover. Reports indicate that her weight had plummeted to just 24 kilograms, leaving her in a critical state beyond medical intervention.
Anorexia nervosa is not just a simple desire to lose weight—it is a psychiatric illness with serious health consequences.
“Individuals with anorexia nervosa are terrified of gaining weight, even if they are of normal weight or have never been overweight. This fear can be so overwhelming that they go to extreme lengths to avoid weight gain,” said Hyderabad-based Neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar told South First.
Meanwhile, Gastroenterologist and Chairman of the Indian Medical Association Research Cell in Kerala said that it is a rare condition, typically seen in teenage females who develop an intense and relentless desire to lose weight. “Despite reassurances from those around them that they are not overweight, they continue to believe otherwise. “While anorexia nervosa also affects males, females outnumber them by a significant margin,” Dr Jayadevan told South First.
Dr Kumar added that even if their weight is medically normal or underweight, they firmly believe they are overweight. No matter how much evidence is presented—whether through weight measurements or reassurance from others—they are convinced they are carrying excess weight. When they look in the mirror, they perceive themselves as heavier than they actually are.
Dr Jayadevan said that individuals with this condition have a distorted perception of their own body. It’s like a scale that is miscalibrated—no matter what the actual weight is, they perceive it incorrectly.
Dr Kumar pointed out that because of this fear and distorted self-perception, people with anorexia nervosa take extreme measures to control their weight. “They cut down on eating, avoiding foods that they believe could lead to weight gain. Some individuals do eat, but then force themselves to vomit to prevent calorie absorption. For example, they might eat a meal but panic afterward and purge the food from their system,” said Dr Kumar.
“If you notice someone frequently rushing to the bathroom after meals and hear them vomiting, it could be a sign that they are struggling with this condition,” pointed Dr Jayadevan.
“There is a family predilection for anorexia nervosa. If a first-degree relative has the condition, the risk of developing it increases tenfold, Whether this is due to genetic factors or because a child grows up observing another family member with anorexia is unclear,” said Dr Jayadevan.
Dr Jayadevan also said that there are also reports linking bullying, body shaming, and abuse to anorexia nervosa, though it is not definitively established whether these factors directly cause the condition.
“Anorexia nervosa belongs to a broader category of conditions known as eating disorders. It is public knowledge that Princess Diana, the first wife of King Charles, suffered from an eating disorder. She acknowledged this in multiple interviews. It is uncertain whether she specifically had anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Bulimia is characterised by frequent vomiting—individuals with this condition induce vomiting by inserting their fingers into their throat after meals to expel food and prevent weight gain,” said Dr Jayadevan.
He added that eating disorders are relatively common, “and if you search online, you will find that many prominent individuals have struggled with them.”*
Dr Kumar said that due to extreme malnutrition, individuals with anorexia nervosa often become dangerously thin, with only skin and bones visible. They lose fat, muscle, and essential body mass, making them look severely malnourished.
In the past, during famine crises, such as those seen in Ethiopia, people suffered from extreme starvation, leading to skeletal-like appearances. A similar state is observed in those with severe anorexia nervosa—they become alarmingly underweight and frail, often mistaken for individuals suffering from serious illnesses like cancer.
“This condition is not about someone making a conscious decision to diet or eat less—it is a psychiatric disorder that alters their perception of reality. They are unable to recognise their malnourished state and often refuse help. Without medical intervention, the condition can lead to life-threatening complications,” said Dr Kumar.
He said that anorexia nervosa requires medical, nutritional, and psychiatric support to help affected individuals regain both physical and mental health.
“The natural course of this condition makes it extremely difficult for families to handle. One major challenge is that the affected person often lacks insight into their illness. Insight refers to the awareness of a problem. For example, if someone has pain in their leg, they recognise the pain and understand that it needs medical attention. However, individuals with anorexia nervosa do the exact opposite of what they should be doing for their health, yet they do not perceive their actions as harmful or recognise that something is wrong with their body,” said Dr Jayadevan.
He added that this makes it difficult for families to convince them to seek medical help. Typically, by the time they see a doctor, complications have already occurred.
For instance, the person may have collapsed, lost consciousness, or fainted at home. They may have suffered fractures from a fall due to extreme weakness. In severe cases, they may even experience cardiac arrest.
This is because individuals with anorexia nervosa often suffer from severe electrolyte imbalances, especially if they engage in frequent vomiting. When blood electrolyte levels, particularly potassium and magnesium, drop dangerously low, it can disrupt the electrical activity of the heart.
“Even if the heart itself is structurally healthy, a severe electrolyte imbalance can cause it to stop beating—similar to how a table fan stops working when there is a power outage. The fan itself is not broken, but it cannot function without electricity. Likewise, the heart’s electrical system depends on stable levels of potassium and magnesium in the blood. When these levels fall too low, it can result in sudden cardiac arrest,” said Dr Jayadevan.
Also, individuals with anorexia nervosa often have associated conditions. Some may have personality disorders or mood disorders, such as anxiety or depression. Many have a history of suicide attempts, and in some cases, they may also have borderline personality disorder.
“Borderline personality disorder, despite sounding trivial, is a serious condition. Individuals with this disorder can have extreme emotional reactions and may even threaten or attempt suicide over seemingly minor issues. Managing such cases can be extremely challenging,” said Dr Jayadevan.
Anorexia nervosa often overlaps with a cluster of conditions, making treatment complex. Families of affected individuals suffer a great deal because the person may refuse to seek medical attention. Even when they do, treatment is not a simple cure—it requires prolonged counseling, behavioral therapy, medication, and frequent hospital visits.
A significant part of the treatment involves convincing the individual that they have a problem. This is incredibly difficult because they have a fixed belief that they must continue losing weight, regardless of their actual health status.
Dr Jayadevan pointed that many YouTube videos promoting extreme diets are created by individuals who lack proper credentials. However, they may speak persuasively, dress professionally, and produce high-quality videos that make their advice seem credible. This can be dangerous.
“I strongly discourage anyone from following diet advice from YouTube or other social media platforms. If someone wishes to change their diet, they should consult a registered dietitian. Even then, it’s essential to verify that the person is a qualified professional. Just as someone can falsely claim to be a doctor, individuals without proper training can call themselves dietitians,” said Dr Jayadevan.
A proper consultation with a doctor and a dietitian ensures that dietary changes are necessary, appropriate, and safe. They can provide guidance on how long the changes should be maintained, what follow-up is needed, potential risks, and how to manage complications if they arise.
Changing one’s diet should always be done under professional supervision—not based on unverified online content.
Anorexia nervosa is not just an individual struggle—it is often shaped by societal pressures, professional demands, and mental health factors.
Some professions, particularly in entertainment, modelling, and fashion, place an unrealistic emphasis on extreme thinness. Celebrities, especially actors and models, may feel compelled to maintain an ultra-lean physique as part of their career requirements.
“If you look at fashion models from the early 2000s, particularly those on channels like Fashion TV (FTV), many appeared extremely underweight, almost malnourished. The idea of a “zero figure” body type became a trend, with some even striving for body sizes far below healthy limits,” said Dr Kumar.
This constant demand for a thin appearance normalises unhealthy weight loss practices in these industries, leading some to develop disordered eating behaviours in an attempt to fit in.
He also said that anorexia nervosa is significantly more common among women than men. While men also care about their appearance, women often face greater societal pressure to look a certain way.
“Peer pressure plays a big role, especially among young adults and teenagers. The desire to look attractive, fit in, or be socially accepted can push some individuals toward extreme dieting or dangerous weight-loss methods,” said Dr Kumar.
In today’s digital age, social media plays a huge role in shaping body image perceptions. Seeing influencers or celebrities post about their dramatic weight loss transformations can inspire unhealthy comparisons. Some people blindly follow extreme diet trends they find on platforms like YouTube or Instagram, not realising the serious health risks involved.
While healthy weight loss can be positive, extreme dieting can lead to severe malnutrition and irreversible health damage.
Anorexia nervosa can be effectively treated if caught early. However, in many cases, it goes unnoticed—especially among students living away from family in hostels or dormitories.
“If a person isolates themselves, eats alone, or avoids social gatherings, their condition may go unnoticed for months. In family settings, loved ones are more likely to notice drastic weight loss and seek medical intervention,” said Dr Kumar
In cases like Sreenanda’s, where six months passed without solid food, the damage to her body was too severe, leading to multiple medical complications and ultimately proving fatal.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
