【英语时差8,16】饥饿的“模样”（下）

（单词翻译）

That’s because the belly¹ on a starving person has nothing to do with fat. Rather, it is often the result of Protein Calorie Malnutrition², or PCM. PCM means a healthy number of calories are being eaten — say in the form of rice — but with a severe deficiency in protein. This is often the case in third-world countries where meat and fish are rare or too expensive for many. Even in a healthy state, the blood vessels³ and organs leak fluids a little. This is generally no problem, as the lymphatic system removes the excess, and a little fluid cushioning the organs is a good thing. In PCM, however, the lymphatic system can’t keep up with the leakage⁴, and the stomach area begins to bloat with its own waste fluids. Add to this the likelihood of a swollen⁵ liver, which is another result of PCM, and you wind up with the terrible irony⁶ of a person on the verge⁷ of starvation looking weirdly⁸ similar to an overeater.