Which condition can result from inadequate protein intake?

• A. Obesity
• B. PEM (protein energy malnutrition)
• C. Hypertension
• D. Diabetes

Answer: (B)

When protein intake is insufficient, the body cannot maintain its lean tissues and essential functions, leading to protein–energy malnutrition. This condition represents a spectrum where inadequate protein (often with low overall calories) causes loss of muscle mass, stunted growth, impaired immunity, and, in more severe forms like kwashiorkor, edema from low plasma protein levels. Because PEM directly results from not meeting protein and energy needs, it is the best answer to a question about what can arise from inadequate protein intake.

Obesity results from excessive energy intake and fat storage, hypertension has multifactorial causes including vascular and metabolic factors, and diabetes is driven by impaired glucose metabolism and insulin dynamics. While diet influences these conditions, they are not direct outcomes of insufficient protein intake.