Did a fad diet kill a mother?
Friday 15 October 2010
After drastically losing almost two stone in one month to improve her body for a family holiday, a young mother has tragically died.
Lucy Prince, 36, suddenly dropped dead at work, after putting herself on a diet of slimming drinks and extreme exercise programmes – leading to her shedding 20lb in just four weeks - before going on holiday with her daughter.
Miss Prince was reportedly mid conversation with her boss, when, out of the blue, her eyes rolled back and she collapsed unconscious. She was rushed to the Royal Derby Hospital immediately, but didn’t regain consciousness.
An inquest heard that Miss Prince had low blood pressure and dangerously low potassium levels, and the post-mortem examination revealed that she was also suffering from inflammation of the heart – since dropping from 16st 2lb to 14st 8lbs in just four weeks.
Miss Prince’s stepmother, Lesley, told the hearing how Lucy’s line manager told her how the collapse happened in July. Speaking to the daily express, she said: “Apparently, they were having a normal work conversation when Lucy’s eyes rolled back and she dropped to the floor. She never said she had been unwell at all; she had been laughing and joking.”
Co-indecently Miss Prince’s daughter, Jordan, 14, was taken to a different hospital earlier that day after she collapsed with suspected arthritis whilst at an Army training camp.
She added, “When I was told Lucy had collapsed, I thought it was because she had got the news that her daughter had collapsed as well.”
Dr David Green, also told the inquest her potassium levels, which should fit between 3.5 and 5, were at 2.4, but the pathologist struggled to put a definite conclusion on the death.
Speaking to the same publication, he said: “What is likely is that, for whatever reason, her potassium levels fell to a low level and because her heart was already diseased, it was unable to cope.
“In basic terms, her brain was starved of oxygen because her heart stopped beating. And it stopped beating because there was a severe lack of potassium in the blood stream.”
As the post-mortem returned the verdict of death by natural causes, Derby Coroner Louise Pinder said to the publication: “It is important to note that Miss Prince had been dieting, exercising heavily and replacing meals with diet shakes close to her collapse.
“But the cause of her low potassium levels remains unclear.
“I have been looking to see if there is a direct link between the low potassium level and her myocarditis (heart inflammation) but both are relevant in causing Lucy’s collapse,” she added.
Miss Prince’s step-mother described her as a popular and loveable woman; however, she is the latest casualty in a recent string of crash diet deaths.
By Conor White
Posted by sugar sweet
RE: Did a fad diet kill a mother?
how sad its shocking that someone would put themsleves in such danger just to loose weight but there is so much pressure and emphasise on looking good its hard to avoid sometimes!some fad diets that we are bombarded with are so dangerous ansd they shouldnt be advertised for people to try without professional support and advise!
i hope everyone can take comfort in the fact that she didnt suffer at all and was happy before she died.
Posted 15/10/2010 14:02:27
Posted by n.s
RE: Did a fad diet kill a mother?
Terrible thing to happen. It's ironic she was trying to lose weight because being over weight is so unhealthy, and to obviously feel and look better in herself, and it cost her her life. Her poor daughter, my heart goes out to her and the rest of her family.
Posted 18/10/2010 09:04:22