Kwashiorkor not associated with poverty.

Four infants are described with kwashiorkor that was unassociated with poverty or infection as predisposing factors of their disease. The condition followed various dietary regimens deficient in protein of five weeks to seven months in duration. Features of this "sugar-bady" form of kwashiorkor included a low level of physician awareness of malnutrition as a diagnostic consideration, growth retardation, edema, muscle wasting, mental changes, and mild lymphocytosis. Initially, recovery was associated with rapid loss of weight and anemia and subsequently with weight gain and return to good health.