Understanding What is a person who is suffering from kwashiorkor?

October 23, 2025 •

3 min read

According to UNICEF, nearly 50% of all child deaths under the age of 5 are linked to malnutrition, with kwashiorkor being a significant contributor. So, what is a person who is suffering from kwashiorkor? An individual with this severe nutritional disorder is defined by a lack of protein, which causes fluid retention and swelling, masking the underlying emaciation.

Quick Summary

A person with kwashiorkor experiences severe protein deficiency, leading to edema and a swollen appearance. Characteristic symptoms include skin and hair discoloration, muscle atrophy, fatigue, and a compromised immune system, necessitating careful, targeted nutritional treatment.

Key Points

Edema is the defining symptom: A person with kwashiorkor exhibits swelling (edema), particularly in the feet, ankles, and belly, masking underlying muscle wasting.
Protein deficiency is the primary cause: The condition arises from a diet critically low in protein, even if caloric intake is sufficient.
Affects children disproportionately: It most commonly impacts children, especially around weaning, when breast milk is replaced by low-protein foods.
Leads to visible and internal damage: Symptoms include hair and skin discoloration, muscle loss, fatigue, irritability, a compromised immune system, and an enlarged fatty liver.
Treatment requires careful nutritional rehabilitation: Treatment must be cautious and gradual, guided by a specific protocol, to avoid dangerous refeeding syndrome.
Severe cases risk long-term disability or death: Without early intervention, kwashiorkor can cause permanent physical and mental disabilities, stunted growth, and can be fatal.

The Defining Characteristics of Kwashiorkor

A person suffering from kwashiorkor is experiencing severe acute malnutrition (SAM) due to a critical lack of protein in their diet. Unlike marasmus which causes extreme wasting, kwashiorkor is primarily characterized by edema, or swelling from fluid retention, often in the ankles, feet, legs, and face. This swelling can make an individual appear falsely well-nourished while their body wastes away internally. The protein deficiency reduces serum albumin, disrupting fluid balance and causing accumulation in tissues, frequently resulting in a distended abdomen.

Additional symptoms include hair losing color and becoming brittle, as well as skin changes like flaky rashes and dark patches. Muscle atrophy and fat loss lead to extremely thin limbs. Behavioral changes such as irritability, lethargy, and apathy are also common.

The Root Causes and Contributing Factors

Historically, kwashiorkor was linked mainly to protein deficiency in diets otherwise sufficient in calories, often seen after children are weaned onto carbohydrate-rich, low-protein foods. Multiple factors contribute, including reliance on low-protein foods, micronutrient deficiencies, oxidative stress, frequent infections, environmental toxins, and trauma or stress. In developed countries, it is rare but can stem from neglect, medical conditions, or restrictive diets.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Kwashiorkor

Diagnosis involves clinical assessment and physical examination for edema. Lab tests can confirm low serum protein. Treatment follows a phased process to prevent refeeding syndrome, including addressing immediate threats, treating infections, initiating cautious feeding, correcting micronutrient deficiencies, increasing intake for catch-up growth, and providing support.

Kwashiorkor vs. Marasmus: A Comparative Look

Both are severe acute malnutrition, but kwashiorkor involves protein deficiency with some caloric intake and edema, while marasmus is a broader calorie and protein deficiency leading to severe wasting without edema. Key differences are summarized in the table below.


Feature	Kwashiorkor	Marasmus
Primary Deficiency	Protein	Calories and protein
Appearance	Edema (swelling), distended belly, masked weight loss	Wasting (emaciation), loss of fat and muscle, 'old man' appearance
Key Symptom	Bilateral pitting edema (swelling)	Severe muscle wasting and weight loss
Energy Reserves	Some fat stores may remain due to sufficient caloric intake	Nearly complete depletion of fat and muscle tissue
Skin & Hair	Skin lesions, changes in hair color/texture	Thin, dry skin, loose skin folds
Behavior	Apathy, lethargy, irritability	Apathy, reduced movement, speech delays

Long-Term Outlook and Prevention

Early treatment can reverse many symptoms. However, severe cases can lead to permanent physical and intellectual disabilities. Prevention involves addressing poverty and food insecurity, including access to protein-rich foods and nutritional education. Using nutrient-dense local foods is also important.

Conclusion

What is a person who is suffering from kwashiorkor? It is someone experiencing severe malnutrition due to critical protein deficiency. The characteristic swelling conceals underlying muscle atrophy, skin and hair damage, and a weakened immune system. Although most common in children in developing nations, it can affect others due to medical issues or neglect. Timely nutritional intervention is vital, as delayed treatment can have permanent consequences. Prevention through improved nutrition and addressing root causes is the most effective approach.

World Health Organization: Management of severe malnutrition

The Role of Nutrition in Prevention

Preventing kwashiorkor involves ensuring a balanced diet with adequate protein. This is particularly important for infants transitioning from breast milk and at-risk adults with chronic conditions or restrictive diets. Good sources of protein include seafood, eggs, lean meat, and legumes. Education and improved access to these foods are key.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary cause of kwashiorkor is a severe deficiency of protein in the diet, often occurring in individuals who are consuming enough calories from carbohydrates but lack essential proteins.

The main physical sign is edema, which is swelling caused by fluid retention, particularly noticeable in the ankles, feet, and a distended abdomen.

Children, especially between the ages of 1 and 4, are most at risk, particularly in regions with limited food supply where diets consist primarily of starchy carbohydrates after weaning.

Kwashiorkor is characterized by edema due to protein deficiency, while marasmus involves severe wasting and muscle loss due to a broader deficiency of both calories and protein, without edema.

While rare, adults can develop kwashiorkor, often linked to severe illness (like HIV), chronic alcoholism, or restrictive fad diets that cause severe protein malnutrition.

If left untreated, kwashiorkor can be life-threatening and may lead to serious complications such as permanent physical and mental disabilities, stunted growth, shock, and coma.

The initial phase of treatment focuses on stabilizing the patient by addressing immediate, life-threatening issues like hypoglycemia, hypothermia, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances, before gradually reintroducing nutrients.