Emaciation
| Emaciation | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A starving, emaciated man being assisted at Trnopolje camp in Bosnia. | |
| Pronunciation | |
| Symptoms | thin limbs, pronounced and protruding bones, sunken eyes, dry skin, thinning hair, a bloated stomach, dry or coated tongue, halitosis, hyponatremia, hypokalemia, anemia, improper function of lymph and the lymphatic system, pleurisy, and edema |
| Causes | Malnutrition, starvation, anorexia nervosa |
Emaciation is defined as the state of extreme thinness from absence of body fat and muscle wasting usually resulting from malnutrition.[1]
Characteristics
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Emaciation manifests physically as thin limbs, pronounced and protruding bones, sunken eyes, dry skin, thinning hair, a bloated stomach, and a dry or coated tongue in humans. Emaciation is often accompanied by halitosis, hyponatremia, hypokalemia, anemia, improper function of lymph and the lymphatic system, and pleurisy and edema.[2]
Causes
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Emaciation is widespread in least developed countries and was a major cause of death in Nazi concentration camps during World War II.
Emaciation can be caused by undernutrition, malaria and cholera, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases with prolonged fever, parasitic infections, many forms of cancer and their treatments, lead poisoning, and eating disorders like anorexia nervosa.[2]
Controversies
[edit]A recent upturn of celebrities appearing emaciated has ignited a conversation around "modern emaciation".
Modern emaciation can be defined as: a cultural phenomenon in which extreme thinness is framed as desirable, healthy, disciplined, or aspirational through celebrity culture, social media, fashion, and wellness narratives, potentially obscuring food insecurity, malnutrition, and eating-disorder harms.[3]
Media-driven aesthetics, particularly in the fashion and celebrity industries, have elevated extremely thin body types. Emaciated individuals (particularly celebrities) in modern times are often utilized under thinspiration ideology.[4]
While an "emaciated-look" was extremely prevalent in the 1990's, emaciation among individuals with prominent status has seen a resurgence in the most-recent years; largely due to something dubbed the "Ozempic Epidemic", and otherwise due to societal pressures regarding food scarcity, as well as intentional disordered eating.[5]
Visibly emaciated, prominent social figures (in no particular order) include: Ariana Grande, Natalie Dyer, Emma Stone, Jenna Ortega, Demi Moore, Mary-Kate Olsen as well as others.[6]
Recent analyses, including 2025 critiques, note the proliferation of emaciated physiques in influencer culture, sometimes amplified by weight-loss drugs like Ozempic.[4] This creates social pressures and can exacerbate eating disorders among impressionable populations.[6]
Other animals
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A lack of resources in the habitat, disease, or neglect and cruelty from humans in captivity can result in emaciation in animals. In the rehabilitation of emaciated animals, the specific dietary needs of each animal have to be considered to avoid causing harm.[7][8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Emaciation". Medical-Dictionary.TheFreeDictionary.com. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
- 1 2 Bose, Bholanoth (1877) [First published 1877 (2009)]. A new system of medicine, entitled recognizant medicine; or, The state of the sick. London: J. & A. Churchill. pp. 192–199. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
Emaciation.
- ↑ Shilling, Chris (July 11, 2016). "The Body: A Very Short Introduction". Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/actrade/9780198739036.001.0001. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
- 1 2 "Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management of Emaciation (2025)". Doaj.org. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
- ↑ "The Glamorization of Eating Disorders in the Media". Healthyplace.com. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
- 1 2 "The Tension between Regulation and Emancipation in Western Modernity and Its Demise" (PDF). Assets.cambridge.org. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
- ↑ "What is animal cruelty?". The British Columbia SPCA. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
- ↑ "Emaciation (Starvation) Protocol". Anapsid.org. Dec 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
External links
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Media related to Emaciation at Wikimedia Commons