system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why do children's stomachs look bloated when they are malnourished?
gpt
It's called kwashiorkor, and is caused by a protein deficiency. In normal conditions, we have proteins floating around in the blood, which causes fluid to be retained due to osmotic forces. However, this protein needs to be replenished. When it isn't, fluids will pool in the soft tissues of the body, and will cause the bloating effect in malnourished children.