The death of a young mother in the United Kingdom has sparked conversations about the dangers of extreme dieting and eating disorders. According to the Daily Mirror,Helen Anderson, 26, died in April after losing more than 80 pounds in a matter of months:

Her body was so starved of sugar it began to eat into its own fat reserve, sparking a chemical reaction called ketoacidosis, which killed her. The condition is caused by toxic levels of the chemical ketone, produced by the body when it is forced to make its own energy.

While crash dieters may not necessarily be diagnosed with an eating disorder, the dangers are similar. Dramatic weight loss that is achieved by eating food that has little or no nutritional value and excessive exercise can have life-threatening physiological consequences.

Labels: dieting

Posted By: Aspen/CRC