Kwashiorkor is characterized by disproportionately poor protein intake leading to water balance issues and edema, likely due to an imbalance in the protein-to-energy ratio, potentially exacerbated by low-quality protein sources deficient in lysine and methionine.

“in quashi or cor there's disproportionately poor protein and that leads to changes in water balance and edema uh people have argued is it cortisol based you know is it stress based but it it appears to be an imbalance in the protein to energy relationship where in morma they're just short of total calories and total protein and everything but in in in uh uh in quashi oror it appears that the quality of the protein they're eating these starchy porridges and things like that totally deficient probably in lysine and methionine”