You can recall seeing kids in Africa on those commercials with the large bellies, right? You might have wondered why they're so hungry with such full stomachs.
In fact, the disease these children are suffering from is called Kwashiorkor, a form of malnutrition due to an extreme lack of protein. The large belly is an inflammation - an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin and their stomachs are the antithesis of full.
After breast feeding, a child needs nutrients that are no longer supplied by the mother's milk. However, in developing nations essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals are not readily available and starvation sets in at early stages of development. In addition, many lack the education and proper storing techniques for food and often eat food that is moldy or rotten and thus furthers the malnutrition. Kwashiorkor stunts growth and decreases the immune system, among countless other horrific effects
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