starvation

physiology

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External Websites

The Lancet - Starvation as a weapon of war must stop (PDF)
Al Jazeera - Starvation: Anatomy of ‘a very cruel, slow death’
Healthline - How Long Can You Live Without Food?
MedicineNet - How do you know if your body is in Starvation mode?
Khan Academy - How does the body adapt to starvation?
NPR - What happens to the body and mind when starvation sets in?
BMC - BMC Genomics - Starvation causes changes in the intestinal transcriptome and microbiome that are reversed upon refeeding
National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Starvation and Its Effects on the Gut

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Starvation - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

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Article History

starvation, widespread or generalized atrophy (wasting away) of body tissues either because food is unavailable or because it cannot be taken in or properly absorbed. See nutrition.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.