# What causes "Ethiopian Pot Belly"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2001, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196 "2001-07-04T10:24:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/1 "2001-07-04T10:24:55Z")
We’ve all seen the emaciated poor souls with the paunchy bellies. If they havn’t had much to eat in a while, or ever for that matter, what makes their bellies pop out? Is it all fluid, like water? And if so, does their body retain water for a significant reason, besides hydration, and reaction to a lack of food? ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/2 "2001-07-04T11:09:02Z")
I admit that this question can probably only be answered by Qadgop the Mercotan. I have posed many questions in his direction as of late and confess that I am dearly pleased that there is a doctor on board here at SDMB. However, I will make an attempt to repress my urge to ask odd medically related questions, as there is only one of Qadgop the Mercotan and I do not want to wear his spirit thin. My apologies. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/3 "2001-07-04T11:09:58Z")
It’s a result of malnutrition known as Kwashiorkor. From [http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/07123.html](http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/07123.html) [quote] protein deficiency disorder of children…But the weaned child, who receives neither milk nor meat, is likely to develop kwashiorkor. The most striking manifestations of the disease are a swollen and severely bloated abdomen, resulting from decreased albumin in the blood… It seems that this is not a result of getting no food, but of getting the wrong kind of food, that which doesn’t include enough protein. ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/4 "2001-07-04T11:28:47Z")
Thank you Lsura 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/5 "2001-07-04T11:35:37Z")
Protein (albumin) in the blood acts as a sort of “sponge” to hold water in the bloodstream. If there’s not enough albumin, the water leaks out. If it leaks it out, one of the areas that the water accumulates in is the abdomen. This is called ascites. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/6 "2001-07-04T11:35:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wishbone \* > there is only one of Qadgop the Mercotan and I do not want to wear his spirit thin. My apologies. **Qadgop the Mercotan** ’s a great guy, **wishbone**. Just get him talking about himself and he’ll be happy to hang around and answer any questions you have. > [@](#): > > **wishbone** : I was reading that post of yours the other day and laughing so hard I hurt my back. How’d you get such a great sense of humor? > **Q the M** : You develop it when you have to deal with patients all day. You probably have a slurfled knarb. Use moist heat on that and it should clear right up. [sub]😃 Cheers, **Q**![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/7 "2001-07-04T11:50:55Z")
Yeah… I remember that…:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/8 "2001-07-04T17:17:16Z")
Oh boy! Fans! Can I expand that base into…dare I say it? A _syndicated medical column_? Then I could get out of the HMO and Medicare assignment racket! Actually KarlGauss is the genuine go to guy when you’re looking for solid facts. I supply vague recollections of real or fancied patient encounters, half-remembered pearls from medical school and residency, and long-harbored resentments towards re-imbursement systems. Qadgop “If there’s anything in here more important than my ego, I want it taken out and shot” --Zaphod Beeblebrox ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/9 "2001-07-04T21:22:45Z")
Speaking of flies and maggots…Cochliomyia hominivorax (American primary screwworm), will lay eggs on the edges of wounds, and the maggots will eat living flesh (the result of which often attracts flies that breed in necrotic flesh). ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/10 "2001-07-04T22:04:48Z")
My wife heard recently that this is caused by weakend abdominal muscles, so weak that the belly pushes out. I’ve suspected thats an UL, but haven’t researched yet. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/11 "2001-07-06T17:05:12Z")
Its a swollen liver. In individuals suffering starvation, their supply of blood sugar and fat reserves have benn exhausted, leaving only the muscle mass as fuel. Unfortunately, the metabolic by-products of the body consuming its own flesh are toxic, thus inflaming the tissues of the body’s main metabolic processor. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-ethiopian-pot-belly/71196/12 "2001-07-06T18:37:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by enolancooper \* > \*\*Its a swollen liver. > \*\* **enolancooper** is correct. The primary cause for the swollen belly is that the liver is enlarged. As mentioned above, the low protein in the blood, and the subsequent leakage of fluid into the abdomen, makes things even worse.