What is the name of the disease caused due to protein deficiency?

The correct answer is Kwashiorkor

Key Points

• Kwashiorkor: it is a disease caused by a severe deficiency of protein in diets that contain calories mostly from carbohydrates such as yams, rice, and bananas.
• People with kwashiorkor appear puffy in the abdomen area from the retention of fluid.
• It usually affects older children.

Causes of kwashiorkor:

• Lack of protein in the diet
• Lack of nutritional knowledge
• Limited food supply

Symptoms:

• Producing belly
• Silky, easily pulled hair
• Dark and scaly skin
• Underweight
• Edema present in the lower limbs and arms
• Loss of appetite
• Moon face
• Anemia
• Mental retardation

Additional Information Beri Beri

• It is due to vitamin B1 deficiency
• It results in mental confusion and swollen legs.
• It is treated by taking supplements.

Rickets

• It is due to vitamin D deficiency.
• It results in stunted growth and bone pains.
• It is treated by taking a diet enriched with vitamins and by taking supplements.

Anaemia

• Anaemia means having less ‘hemoglobin’ or iron in the blood.
• Haemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that is present in the blood and is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the tissue.
• Due to a lack of iron, there is a decrease in the level of haemoglobin because of this, oxygen cannot be properly circulated throughout the body.
• Anaemia disease is a result of a deficiency of Iron.