Final answer:
Marasmus is the condition causing extreme energy deficit and tissue wasting, characterized by severe undernutrition due to extremely low food energy intake. The correct option is (3).
Step-by-step explanation:
The condition that causes extreme energy deficit and tissue wasting is known as marasmus. Marasmus is a form of severe undernutrition that arises due to extremely low food energy intake, leading to a significant drop in body weight, muscle mass, and overall body fat. This condition is particularly prevalent in children suffering from starvation and shows signs such as wasting, low body temperature, anemia, dehydration, weak pulse, and cold extremities. Marasmus is part of a larger spectrum known as protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), which also includes kwashiorkor; however, the two differ in the severity of energy deficiency and protein intake, with kwashiorkor often presenting with adequate calorie but insufficient protein consumption, typically resulting in a swollen abdomen due to edema.
Children affected by marasmus experience a considerable breakdown of their skeletal muscles and red blood cells (RBCs), leading to muscle wasting and anemia. The name 'marasmus' comes from a Greek word meaning "wasting away." If not treated, the outcome can be fatal, though its prognosis is usually better compared to that of untreated kwashiorkor. The main cause of marasmus is a deficiency in caloric intake, which may result from various factors including famine, food scarcity, or economic difficulties, often exacerbated by conditions like diarrhea and subsequent dehydration, especially in infants who are no longer breastfed and not receiving adequate nutrition from other sources.