Malnutrition in developing countries

Although now rare in industrialized countries, severe acute malnutrition is unfortunately still common throughout the developing world and is a key contributor to both global childhood morbidity and mortality. This review describes the epidemiology of malnutrition and the presentation and pathophysiology of the severe syndromic forms – marasmus and kwashiorkor. The gold standards for diagnosis and management are detailed and the challenges of implementation in the basic healthcare systems of the developing world are discussed. As the leading cause of ill health in the world today, more effective treatment and prevention of malnutrition must be a priority for the global healthcare community.