It establishes itself slowly as a chronic deficiency of calories and nutrients and develops as a result of insufficient nursing or the use of very diluted substitutes for human milk.
فيخسر الطفل كثيرا من وزنه ،‏ وتكون عضلاته هزيلة جدا بحيث يلتصق جلده بعظمه ،‏ ويتأخر نموه .‏