Turkish Influencer Dead at 30 After Losing 40kg

On June 25, foreign media outlets, including The Sun, reported that beauty influencer Nihal Candan, aged 30 with approximately 910,000 subscribers, passed away on June 21 due to anorexia. Nihal Candan lost a staggering 40 kg over two years due to her struggle with anorexia. At the time of her death, her weight was only 23 kg.

Before her passing, Nihal Candan sustained herself daily with coffee and carbonated drinks. Despite receiving treatment for anorexia, she suffered a heart attack and ultimately could not recover. The cause of death was a heart attack resulting from complications of anorexia.

Nihal Candan rose to fame through her appearance on the local fashion TV program Bu Taz Benim. She gained popularity for her unique fashion sense and later ventured into the beauty business. In 2023, Nihal Candan faced controversy when she was arrested on charges of fraud and money laundering related to her younger sister Bahar Candan’s illegal low-cost car sales.

In response to Nihal Candan’s death, the Turkish Women’s Association issued a statement: “This incident once again demonstrates how societal pressures and expectations regarding women’s bodies can take lives.” They criticized TV programs and societal attitudes that objectify women.

Anorexia is a serious eating disorder marked by an obsessive drive to lose weight, often leading to food refusal. Sociocultural pressures, especially from social media and celebrity culture promoting unrealistic body ideals like the “bone-dry” (ppyeo-malla) look, have a stronger influence than genetics—particularly among teens and women in their 20s.

A Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency report found that 3 in 10 women in their 20s see themselves as overweight despite being of normal weight. Over half have attempted to lose weight, including 16.2% of underweight women.

Often linked with depression and anxiety, anorexia can cause severe health issues such as hypothermia, dehydration, and amenorrhea, and has a mortality rate six times higher than the general population, with a high risk of suicide.