Unraveling Malnutrition: What is another name for marasmus?

October 8, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the NCBI, the global prevalence of marasmus (wasting) was estimated at 6 to 7% among children younger than 5 in 2016, a stark illustration of the condition's widespread impact. This severe form of malnutrition is characterized by a significant energy deficiency, and understanding what is another name for marasmus? is key to recognizing this life-threatening disorder.

Quick Summary

Marasmus, a severe form of protein-energy malnutrition, is often called wasting or severe acute malnutrition. It results from a prolonged deficiency of all macronutrients, leading to significant body fat and muscle mass loss, emaciation, and a visibly starved appearance.

Key Points

Wasting: The most common alternative name for marasmus is wasting, a non-edematous form of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) characterized by extreme thinness.
Total Calorie Deficiency: Marasmus results from a severe deficiency of all macronutrients—proteins, fats, and carbohydrates—leading to an overall energy deficit.
Distinct from Kwashiorkor: Unlike kwashiorkor, which is primarily a protein deficiency causing edema (swelling), marasmus lacks swelling and is defined by severe emaciation and muscle wasting.
Visible Signs: Key symptoms include severe weight loss, visible loss of fat and muscle, wrinkled skin, and overall weakness and apathy.
Poverty and Infection: The primary causes of marasmus are food scarcity, poor sanitation, and infectious diseases, though underlying medical conditions can also contribute.
Careful Treatment: Treatment involves gradual re-feeding under medical supervision to prevent dangerous complications like refeeding syndrome.

Marasmus: A Critical Form of Severe Acute Malnutrition

Marasmus is a severe and often life-threatening form of undernutrition resulting from an overall, prolonged lack of calories and all macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Unlike other forms of malnutrition that may involve deficiencies in specific nutrients, marasmus stems from a total energy deficit, forcing the body to consume its own tissues for survival. The name itself originates from the Greek word marasmos, which means “withering,” a poignant description of the disease's physical effects.

So, What Is Another Name for Marasmus?

For those asking "What is another name for marasmus?" the most accurate and commonly used medical term is severe acute malnutrition (SAM), specifically the non-edematous or wasting form. This is because marasmus is categorized under the broader umbrella of severe acute malnutrition, which also includes its counterpart, kwashiorkor. Other descriptive terms and aliases include:

Protein-Energy Undernutrition (PEU): This is a broader, classic medical term for malnutrition resulting from a deficiency in both protein and energy. Marasmus falls distinctly under this category due to the lack of both.
Nutritional Marasmus: A more specific term that highlights the dietary cause of the condition.
Emaciation: A layperson's term that accurately describes the most prominent physical symptom—extreme thinness caused by severe depletion of fat and muscle.
Withering: A literal translation of the Greek root, which metaphorically and physically captures the child's gradual decline.
Nutritional Atrophy: This term refers to the wasting away of tissues due to a lack of nutrition.

These alternative names help contextualize the condition, but wasting is the clinical descriptor most frequently used in conjunction with modern severe acute malnutrition classifications.

Key Causes and Risk Factors

Marasmus is predominantly a disease of poverty and food insecurity, although it can have other causes. Factors that contribute to its development include:

Lack of Food Availability: In developing regions, famine, drought, and political instability can lead to widespread food scarcity.
Insufficient Maternal Nutrition: Undernourished mothers are more likely to have infants with low birth weights, a significant risk factor for marasmus.
Inadequate Weaning Practices: Improper and premature weaning from breast milk, especially when replaced with nutritionally poor or unsanitary alternatives, can trigger malnutrition in infants.
Infections and Disease: Chronic or recurring infections, particularly gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, can deplete the body of nutrients and increase metabolic demand, leading to worsening malnutrition.
Underlying Medical Conditions: In more developed settings, conditions like cystic fibrosis, chronic renal failure, or even eating disorders like anorexia nervosa can cause marasmus.

The Telling Signs and Symptoms of Marasmus

Identifying marasmus relies heavily on clinical observation of its stark physical symptoms, including:

Severe Weight Loss: The most evident sign, with body weight falling to less than 62% of the normal weight for the child's age.
Muscle and Fat Wasting: A visible loss of subcutaneous fat and muscle mass, leaving the individual looking skeletal or “wizened,” with ribs and joints appearing prominent. The skin may become loose and wrinkled.
Growth Stunting: Children with chronic marasmus experience significant delays in growth and development.
Apathy and Irritability: Lethargy and a lack of energy are common, though children can become irritable when handled.
Compromised Immune System: The body's defense mechanisms are weakened, making the individual highly susceptible to infections and other illnesses.
Slowed Metabolism: The body conserves energy by slowing its processes, which can lead to low heart rate, low blood pressure, and low body temperature.

Comparison of Marasmus and Kwashiorkor


Feature	Marasmus	Kwashiorkor
Primary Cause	Severe deficiency of all macronutrients, leading to a total energy deficit.	Severe deficiency of protein, often with adequate or high carbohydrate intake.
Key Physical Sign	Wasting and emaciation due to loss of fat and muscle.	Edema, or swelling, typically in the hands, feet, and abdomen, caused by fluid retention.
Appearance	Wasted, shriveled, and skeletal appearance.	Swollen appearance, with a distended belly, that can misleadingly mask underlying malnutrition.
Subcutaneous Fat	Severely depleted or absent.	May be present, though often hidden by edema.
Age of Onset	Tends to affect younger infants and children, typically under 1 year of age.	Usually affects older children, often after 18 months, particularly after weaning.

Treatment and Prevention of Marasmus

The treatment of marasmus requires a cautious and gradual approach to re-feeding, as the starved body must slowly adjust to renewed nutrition. This process, often under medical supervision, prevents refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal shift in fluid and electrolytes. Treatment involves:

Stabilization: Addressing immediate threats like dehydration, hypoglycemia, and infections.
Nutritional Rehabilitation: Gradually reintroducing specially formulated therapeutic foods rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and micronutrients.
Long-Term Support: Ongoing nutritional education and dietary changes are crucial to prevent a relapse.

Prevention is rooted in ensuring food security, particularly for mothers and young children. Community and governmental initiatives that improve access to clean water, provide nutritional education, and support families in poverty are critical steps toward reducing the global prevalence of this severe nutritional deficiency.

Conclusion

Marasmus, also known as wasting or the non-edematous form of severe acute malnutrition, is a dire consequence of total energy deficiency. It is characterized by severe emaciation and a lack of subcutaneous fat, starkly contrasting with the fluid retention seen in kwashiorkor. While medical intervention through careful refeeding is vital for recovery, long-term prevention through improved nutrition, sanitation, and access to healthcare remains the most powerful strategy against this debilitating condition. For more detailed information on severe acute malnutrition, visit the National Institutes of Health website.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary difference lies in the type of nutrient deficiency. Marasmus is caused by a severe deficiency of all macronutrients, resulting in extreme wasting and emaciation. Kwashiorkor, conversely, is primarily due to a protein deficiency, which causes edema (swelling) and a distended abdomen despite potentially adequate calorie intake.

While more common in developing countries affected by poverty and food scarcity, marasmus can occur in developed nations. It is typically a result of underlying medical conditions (like malabsorption disorders), eating disorders, or cases of abuse and neglect.

The first step in treating marasmus is to stabilize the patient by correcting immediate life-threatening issues such as dehydration, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and infections. The re-feeding process must be introduced slowly and cautiously to avoid refeeding syndrome.

Refeeding syndrome is a potentially fatal condition that can occur during the first few days of re-feeding a severely malnourished person. It involves dangerous shifts in fluid and electrolyte levels that can strain the heart and other organs.

Marasmus is primarily diagnosed through physical examination and anthropometric measurements, which compare a child's weight and height to standard ratios. Blood tests can also help identify specific micronutrient deficiencies.

Without prompt and effective treatment, marasmus can lead to long-term complications including stunted growth, developmental delays, and permanent physical and mental disabilities. The severity of the effects often depends on the timeliness of intervention.

Preventing marasmus involves a multifaceted approach that includes ensuring food security, promoting nutritional education, improving sanitation and hygiene to prevent infections, and providing adequate nutritional support during critical developmental periods like infancy and early childhood.