Definition of kwashiorkor
: severe malnutrition in infants and children especially of impoverished regions caused by a diet low in protein
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Origin and Etymology of kwashiorkor
Ga (Kwa language of coastal Ghana) kwàṣìɔkɔ́ influence a child is said to be under when a second child comes
First Known Use: 1935
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of kwashiorkor
: severe malnutrition chiefly affecting young children especially of impoverished regions that is characterized by failure to grow and develop, changes in the pigmentation of the skin and hair, edema, fatty degeneration of the liver, anemia, and apathy and is caused by a diet excessively high in carbohydrate and extremely low in protein—compare pellagra
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