1.

Marasmic is a form of severe malnutrition characterized by energy

deficiency. 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.

Causes of marasmus include :

- not having enough nutrition or having too little food
- consuming the wrong nutrients or too much of one and not enough of
another
- having a health condition that makes it difficult to absorb or process
nutrients correctly

symptoms :

- The primary symptom of marasmus is an acute loss of body fat and

muscle tissues, leading to an unusually low body mass index (BMI).
Marasmus is a type of wasting.
- In a child, the main symptom of marasmus is a failure to grow, known
as stunted growth.
- In adults and older children, the main symptom may be wasting, or a
loss of body tissue and fat. An older child with wasting may have
standard height for their age.
- A child with marasmus may alsobe very hungry and suck on their
clothes or hands as if looking for something to eat.
- But some people with marasmus will have anorexia, and they will not
want or be able to eat.
- Over time, a person with marasmus will lose body tissue and fat in
their face. Similarly, their bones become visible under their skin, and
folds of skin develop from the loss of body mass. Their eyes may
appear sunken.

Other symptoms include:

- persistent dizziness
- lack of energy
- dry skin
- brittle hair
 Apart from weight loss, long-term effects of marasmus in children
include slow growth and repeated infections.

Diarrhea, measles, or a respiratory infection are serious complications

that can be fatal in a child with marasmus. Diarrhea can also be a
contributing cause of marasmus. Other complications include bradycardia,
hypotension, and hypothermia.

2. Kwasiorkor
Kwashiorkor is another severe form of protein-energy malnutrition
where the main deficiency is protein.
Severe cases of malnutrition can lead to kwashiorkor. Unlike
marasmus, kwashiorkor causes the body to retain fluid in the lower legs,
feet, arms, hands, and face, leading to a swollen appearance.
Kwashiorkor may also result in a person having a distended or
bulging abdomen. But, someone with kwashiorkor may not have a
particularly low weight, because the fluid buildup makes up for the loss in
body fat and muscle tissue.
According to the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), a child with kwashiorkor will have a weight that is 60
to 80 percent of the standard weight for their age.
Other symptoms of kwashiorkor include:
- loss of appetite
- lack of energy
- irritability
- changes in hair color to yellow or orange

Skin problems are a complication of kwashiorkor. These can include:

- patches of skin turning unusually light or dark

- skin shedding
- skin ulcers developing
- lesions beginning to leak or bleed

Liver problems can occur with kwashiorkor, but they are rare with
marasmus. Kwashiorkor needs immediate diagnosis and treatment, as it
can quickly become life-threatening.
3. Marasmic – Kwashiorkor
The main cause of both of these conditions is a lack of access to
food. Some things that may affect a person’s access to food include:
- Famine
- a caregiver’s inability to get food due to lack of transportation or a
physical inability
- living in poverty

Other things that may lead to these conditions include :

- having an eating disorder

- lacking education about dietary needs
- taking medication that interferes with the absorption of nutrients
- having a medical condition that increases your body’s need for
calories

“Kwashiorkor and Marasmus: What’s the Difference?”.

Healthline.com. 12 August 2020.
https://www.healthline.com/health/kwashiorkor-and-marasmus.