Children who suffer from protein starvation have bloated bellies because of ascites (an accumulation of fluid in the tissue spaces of the abdomen). How would a shortage of protein in the diet cause the condition?

What will be an ideal response?


Protein is needed by the body for proper growth, maintenance, and reproduction. If there is a shortage of protein in the diet, the body must turn itself into a source of amino acids. One of the first proteins to be dismantled for amino acids is plasma albumin. As the level of albumin in the plasma decreases, so does the osmotic pressure. Fluid leaks to the interstitial spaces because of the decrease in osmotic pressure, and because of the large vascular networks in the abdominal cavity, the majority of the fluid pools there.

Anatomy & Physiology

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