Why Hobbits Require Seven Meals Per Day to Survive

David Goldenberg of Minute Earth offers a quick explanation as to why Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings trilogy require seven meals per day in order to survive, far more than an average-sized human needs. This has to do with their body weight, the relative amount they eat per meal, and their resting metabolism.

Because smaller animals have to eat more relative to their bodyweight, Tolkein’s hobbits need to eat a lot – not for comfort, but for survival.