AllRefer Health - Caring for your Well Being

Home | About | FAQs | Contact Us

AllRefer Channels :: Yellow Pages | Reference | Health  

Diseases & Conditions
Select & Go
 Diet & Nutrition
 Diseases & Conditions 
 Injuries & Wounds
 Poisons & Overdoses
 Surgery & Procedures 
 Symptoms Guide
 Special Topics
 Tests & Exams
 Pictures & Images
 Medical Encyclopedia

You are here : AllRefer.com > Health > Diseases & Conditions > Kwashiorkor

Kwashiorkor

Alternate Names : Protein malnutrition, Protein-calorie malnutrition, Malignant malnutrition

Definition

Kwashiorkor is a form of malnutrition that occurs when there is not enough protein in the diet.

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

Kwashiorkor is most common in areas where there is:

  • Famine
  • Limited food supply
  • Low levels of education (when people do not understand how to eat a proper diet)

This disease is more common in very poor countries. It often occurs during a drought or other natural disaster, or during political unrest. These conditions are responsible for a lack of food, which leads to malnutrition.

Kwashiorkor is very rare in children in the United States. There are only isolated cases. However, one government estimate suggests that as many as 50% of elderly people in nursing homes in the United States do not get enough protein in their diet.

When kwashiorkor does occur in the United States, it is usually a sign of child abuse and severe neglect.

Pictures & Images

Kwashiorkor symptoms
Kwashiorkor symptoms

       
      See all Pictures & Images


Quick Jump
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Next
Symptoms, Diagnosis & Tests

Jump To Another Page

Review Date : 1/29/2010
Reviewed By : Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Main Page of Kwashiorkor



    Featured Topics    

Allergies

Breast Cancer

Depression

Diabetes

High Blood Pressure

Weight Management

ADAM

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial reviewers. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2003 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.
This site complies to the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
Copyright © 2011 AllRefer.com All Rights reserved.
Health Topics: 0-9 A-AID Air-Aor Aor-Azo B-Blo Blo-Bys C-Cha Cha-Col Col-CSF CSF-Cyt D-Dis Dis-Dys E-Ess Est-Eye F-FSP FTA-Fus G H-Her Her-Hys I-Iod Ion-Ivy J K L-Luc Lud-Lym M-Min Min-Myx N O P-Pes Pes-Pre Pre-Pyr Q R-Rig Rig-RVA s-SID SID-Spu Spu-Sys T-Too Too-Typ U V W X Y Z
About Us | Help | Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy | Advertising Policy | Accessibility | Terms of Use
Contact Us | Link to Us | User Satisfaction Survey | Healthopedia.com
Page Last Updated: 10 Feb, 2012