Oedematous malnutrition in the child or adult is not caused by protein deficiency; such a concept can lead to fatal therapeutic error in oedematous malnutrition treatment. On the other hand, deficiency of protein, or the other type II nutrients, is common and causes stunting and wasting. In kwashiorkor, the deficiency is more likely to be due to one or several type I nutrients, particularly those involved with anti-oxidant protection.