Tag: Physiology of starvation

While most people can survive for weeks without food, the exact duration of a hunger strike with water depends heavily on individual health and circumstances. The body undergoes a series of critical metabolic shifts that can become life-threatening, with death possible after approximately 45 to 75 days for an otherwise healthy adult.

According to the World Health Organization, hunger is the gravest threat to global public health, leading to a state of severe energy deficit known as starvation. This condition forces the body to adapt by consuming its own reserves, fundamentally altering its metabolic processes to conserve energy and survive.

Reports suggest that, with access to water, a healthy person can potentially survive without food for 30 to 70 days, although this varies significantly based on individual factors and environmental conditions.