In European industrial countries severe underweight children due to malnutrition are uncommon. The case of a 7aEuromonth-old infant girl hospitalized with severe underweight is presented. The child suffered from considerable chronic malnutrition with a severe reduction of body weight (3470 g) and reduced growth as well as general retardation. In hospital the infant quickly recovered after adequate food supply. A predisposition to disease could be clinically excluded. In such cases the degree of malnutrition as well as the duration of food shortage has to be estimated with a classification as acute or chronic malnutrition.