A Swiss woman died of starvation after attempting to survive on sunlight and water alone, inspired by a spiritual belief system known as "Inedia" or "Breatharianism" — the claim that human beings can live without food and survive entirely on light, air, or "prana" (life force energy).

The woman, whose case was reported by Swiss media, had reportedly watched a documentary about an Austrian woman who claimed to have lived without solid food for years. Inspired by the film, the Swiss woman stopped eating and subsequently died. She was in her fifties.

Breatharianism has been promoted by various spiritual figures over the years and has attracted followers in New Age and alternative spirituality communities globally. Proponents claim that advanced spiritual practice allows certain individuals to transcend the physical need for food. Medical and scientific authorities have consistently described the claims as impossible and dangerous.

Several other deaths have been attributed to Breatharianism. In 1999, a Scottish woman died after attempting a Breatharian program. In 2012, an American woman attempting the practice was hospitalized. Each incident renewed calls for authorities to treat promoters of Breatharianism as posing a genuine public safety risk.

Medical experts are unambiguous: the human body cannot sustain itself without food. Starvation produces progressive organ failure, and no documented case of long-term food-free survival has ever been verified under controlled conditions. The individuals who claim to have achieved such a state have consistently been found, when observed by independent monitors, to eat in private.

The case raised broader questions about the regulation of dangerous spiritual and wellness practices and the responsibility of media — including documentary filmmakers — for the foreseeable consequences of promoting unverified and potentially lethal health claims.