How Long Can A Person Go Without Food

The food industry is probably one of the largest industries right now. There is a whole range of food available – from fast food, to health specials, to gourmet dishes – and the list goes on. People experiment with food since it is necessary for survival, and since we have to eat it anyway, the process can be made more interesting by being innovative. However, there are many people who cut down on food for various reasons. Some choose not to eat for days for religious reasons. And there are still others who do so due to vanity. Still others would like to try fasting just out of curiosity. Therefore, considering the fact that food is vital for survival, how long can a person go without food? While this generally varies from person to person, the average amount of time that a person can survive without food is around 3 weeks. The longest verifiable time on record of a person surviving without food stands at 70 days. Read on to know how long a person can survive without food.

 

 

 

 

Controlling Factors Of How Long A Person Can Go Without Food 

There are five major factors that determine how long a person can go without food. Apart from these five major factors, there are other contributing factors such as metabolism rate, body fat of the person, muscles, and the amount of work that a person does while fasting. 

 

A person’s general health is a major factor, which determines how long he or she can go without food. A person suffering from complications such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar and any autoimmune disorder will not be able to last more than a week. In some cases, complications can begin to arise on the same day of the fast. 

 

Weight When Fasting Starts 

Here’s one point at which obesity can actually help a person survive. Given the same conditions and overall health ratio, an obese person can outlive a person of normal weight when going without food for many days. This is because the body has fat stored to use up to survive (and an obese person has more than enough to go for days). 

 

Amount Of Liquids Ingested 

Water is the Achilles heel when it comes to survival without food. This is because a person can survive without food for a number of days, but if this is accompanied by lack of water, it is very difficult for the person to survive. They can pull through for only a few days.

 

Mental Desire To Live 

The mind has a lot to do with how well (or badly) the body functions. A person, who lacks the motivation to live, will develop many physiological complications even without fasting. Therefore, a person who fasts and does not wish to live will not be able to survive more than just a couple of days. 

 

Environment 

Surviving without food in the desert is very different from surviving without food in a place with better environmental factors. Hot climates can dehydrate a person easily and can also lower energy levels. This makes it harder for the body to pull on when there is a lack of food supplies. In this case, a person may not be able to make it beyond a week. The same thing applies to very cold temperatures, since the body will need to burn more energy to produce life-sustaining warmth.