Malnutrition is a condition that occurs when you don't get the right nutrients, vitamins, or minerals. It can lead to chronic health problems and even death. There are 4 broad sub-forms of undernutrition: wasting, stunting, underweight, and deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. The word malnutrition comes from the Latin term ‘mal’ meaning bad and ‘nutrimentum’ meaning food or nourishment. Malnutrition is caused by not eating enough food to meet your body's needs for energy and nutrients, which may be due to poverty or lack of access to food. Malnutrition can also happen if you have an illness that causes too much vomiting or diarrhea, such as severe gastroenteritis (also called stomach flu), cholera, or typhoid fever. The most common form of malnutrition in children under five years old is called "kwashiorkor." The condition that develops when the body is deprived of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function.