Which of the following is lacking in the diet of a person with kwashiorkor?

1. Analyze the question The question asks which nutrient is lacking in the diet of someone with kwashiorkor, a deficiency disease.

2. Explain the concept Kwashiorkor is a form of malnutrition caused by a severe lack of protein in the diet, even when a child may get enough calories from starchy foods. It is common in children who are weaned early, often onto a diet of mostly yam, cassava, or pap (ogi) with little protein.

Symptoms include:

• Swollen belly (edema or "pot belly") and swollen feet
• Thin, discolored hair
• Skin sores and peeling
• Stunted growth and weakness
• Loss of appetite

3. Step-by-step solution

• Carbohydrates: lack of these (along with total calories) leads more to marasmus, where the child looks very thin and wasted. ❌
• Minerals: lack of these causes problems like goitre (iodine), anaemia (iron), and rickets (calcium). ❌
• Vitamins: lack of these causes diseases like scurvy (vitamin C), night blindness (vitamin A), and beriberi (vitamin B1). ❌
• Proteins: lack of these causes kwashiorkor. ✅

4. Answer A. proteins

5. Exam tip Remember the pairing: Kwashiorkor = protein deficiency, while Marasmus = total food/calorie deficiency. A handy memory trick is "Kwashiorkor is the 'K' for 'Kill the protein'", or simply think of the swollen belly of a child who is missing body-building food. JAMB often asks this alongside questions on rickets, scurvy, and goitre, so learn the full set of deficiency diseases together.