What is kwashiorkor?

Kwashiorkor (from the Ga language of Ghana, meaning “sickness of the weanling”), or childhood protein malnutrition, is a result of protein deficiency with concurrent normal to excessive carbohydrate intake. It is a common affliction worldwide, and is seen in developed countries in association with poverty, neurologic disease, and malabsorption. There is muscle wasting with preservation of normal fat stores. The low ratio of protein to energy is felt to disrupt the body’s usual hypometabolic response to caloric deficiency and is biochemically manifest as markedly increased lipid peroxidation. Clinically, edema, hypoalbuminemia, growth retardation, fatty liver, psychomotor changes, and prominent skin findings are seen.

Lenhartz H, Ndasi R, Anninos A, et al: The clinical manifestation of the kwashiorkor syndrome is related to increased lipid peroxidation, J Pediatr 132:879–881, 1998.