An 18-year-old Kerala girl Sree Nanda from Thalassery died after surviving almost six months only on hot water without consuming anything else. She was receiving treatment for eating disorder Anorexia Nervosa at the Thalassery Co-operative Hospital.
The teenager's death has brought the dangers of strict diets to lose weight, particularly among youngsters, to attention.
Can Humans Survive Only on Water?
The exact duration of a person's survival without proper food is unknown due to the lack of scientific evidence. Records show that some people have survived for up to 21 days.
Since it is unethical to do any such study on humans, estimates of how long one may survive without food are based on cases where people survived being trapped or buried alive. Experts believe a person can hardly go for one to two months without eating food.
A person's ability to endure for an extended period of time without food depends on several variables, including their age, health, and availability of other liquids.
A normal, healthy male weighing 70 kg (154 pounds) has enough stored energy to survive without proper food for one to three months, according to a report in Medical News Today.
But those who chose to go without food to take part in strict diets have died after 45-61 days, suggesting it's impossible to live for three months.
Humans can go days without water. They can also survive days or even weeks without eating due to changes in energy consumption and metabolism. It starts using its own tissue as fuel in the absence of food, although this process is limited, reports say.
The body requires the nutrients found in food to survive. It renews cells and powers essential body functions by using carbohydrates, protein, fats, and vitamins and minerals.
The breakdown of muscle accelerates after 14 days of not eating food, and the body starts to lose liver, kidney, and cardiac function, eventually leading to an individual's death.
Infection is another potential cause of death as a malnourished body does not have the resources to maintain health. Age, sex, initial weight and water intake can affect how long a person can go without food.
Those who drink enough water can survive for weeks without food. The body has a lot more reserves to replace food than fluid; therefore, drinking water extends survival time.
According to a 1997 commentary on hunger strikes, a person needs to consume roughly 1.5 litres of water every day to endure starvation for a longer amount of time, Healthline reported.
Fasting, or intentionally not eating for brief time periods, can be a beneficial strategy for managing some medical issues or losing weight. However, one should only do it for a few hours, not days.
