Obesity

"Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.  In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese" (http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm).

The statistics are staggering and, clearly as a country we have got to do something to help our children and adolescents.  

Consider the odds of having your child struggle with obesity...


Now imagine that your child was born predisposed to obesity and is at life-threatening risk for it, unless you strictly monitor and control their diet, make sure they exercise/are active, and constantly supervise them around food...

That is PWS


It is recognized as the most common genetic cause of life-threatening childhood obesity. Common characteristics include very low lean body mass, and early-onset childhood obesity), hypotonia (weak muscles) at birth, insatiable hunger, extreme obesity.  (www.fpwr.org)

I never in a million years thought I would have to think about food this way.  Growing up, I was blessed to have a fairly high metabolism, and didn't have to necessarily watch what I ate.  I wasn't skinny, but I wasn't fat either.  Being active and playing volleyball helped me tremendously, and as I have gotten older, I understand how one's metabolism slooooows down. I have realized I am a stress eater, and this kills me now that PWS is in our life.  It is a constant battle of knowing I shouldn't eat something, thinking about Ellie, eating whatever I shouldn't have eaten, feeling bad and guilty afterward, and then thinking about Ellie again.  Some days I am stronger than others.  David on the other hand, is the epitome of strength and will power.

Because individuals with PWS have a dysfunction of a portion of their brain called the hypothalamus, they lack satiety/fullness cues.  They could eat, and eat, and eat and never feel full.  You can see how this would lead to obesity.  The irony and awfulness of this syndrome is that you spend all your time as a parent making sure your baby eats, and fight them "failing to thrive."  Then everything changes...they never feel full, yet you have to restrict their diet and control EVERY aspect of food, so they are safe.

Obesity...something has got to change to help our children.  Ask a parent who has a child with PWS how they fight obesity...they have no choice and must fight it.  Their children's lives depend on it.