• Question: How long would it take a 500 lb man to starve to death?

    Asked by nicenadia to Alessandro, Angela, Claudia, Marina, Phil on 11 Mar 2013.
    • Photo: Marina De Vos

      Marina De Vos answered on 11 Mar 2013:

      Depends on the conditions as well.
      Humans can roughly stay without food for any time between two weeks and 6 weeks provided there is water available. The actual time depends only partially on body fat.

    • Photo: Claudia Krehl

      Claudia Krehl answered on 11 Mar 2013:

      I wonder if it would take less time for bigger people to starve than thinner people. Stomach size increases with the amount of food we eat and your body would get used to taking in a lot more calories and fat than you should. Say you eat 5000 calories each day instead of 2000. I think it would be a higher shock to suddenly drop a 5000 calorie intake than a 2000 calorie intake. Besides your body is not healthy anyway when you weigh 500lb!

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