Why do malnourished people have big stomachs? The medical explanation
                                
                                
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                                    3 min read                                
                            
                                According to the World Health Organization, malnutrition is a significant global health issue, and a swollen, distended abdomen is a hallmark symptom of one of its most severe forms, Kwashiorkor. This visual paradox, where a person appears emaciated but has a bloated belly, is primarily caused by a critical lack of protein in the diet.