ماراسموس

Also known as nutritional atrophy, nutritional marasmus, nutritional marasmus (disorder)

Marasmus is a form of severe malnutrition characterized by energy deficiency. It can be distinguished from kwashiorkor in that kwashiorkor is protein deficiency with adequate energy intake whereas marasmus has inadequate energy intake in all forms, including protein. It can occur in anyone with severe malnutrition but usually occurs in children. Body weight is reduced to less than 62% of the normal (expected) body weight for the age. Marasmus occurrence increases before age 1, whereas kwashiorkor occurrence increases after 18 months. This clear-cut separation of marasmus and kwashiorkor is how