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The Many "Unknown" Diseases/Syndromes That Cause Childhood Obesity

4/8/2011

 
Obesity is no laughing matter
With LaNiyah speaking out on two things which are bullying and child obesity there are many questions and assumptions out there about her weight and lifestyle.

Well, I'm going to take the time to educate on the many "unknown" diseases that cause and/or contribute to obesity. People have this misconception that when you're fat you just eat too much of the wrong foods. Yes, this can be true in some cases but  it's not always the case... as in LaNiyah's world.

Below you will find the many causes of childhood obesity & there symptoms:



1. Cushing’s disease

Cushing’s disease is a condition in which the pituitary gland releases too much adrenocorticotropic hormone (ATCH). The pituitary gland is an organ of the endocrine system.

Cushing's disease is caused by a tumor or excess growth (hyperplasia) of the pituitary gland. This gland is located at the base of the brain.

People with Cushing's disease have too much ACTH. ACTH stimulates the production and release of cortisol, a stress hormone. Too much ACTH means too much cortisol.

Cortisol is normally released during stressful situations. It controls the body's use of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins and also helps reduce the immune system's response to swelling (inflammation).


2. Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome is a congenital (present from birth) disease that involves obesity, decreased muscle tone, decreased mental capacity, and sex glands that produce little or no hormones.

Prader-Willi syndrome is caused by a gene missing on part of chromosome 15. Normally, your parents each pass down a copy of this chromosome. Most patients with Prader-Willi syndrome are missing the genetic material on part of the father's chromosome. The remaining patients frequently have two copies of the mother's chromosome 15.

The genetic changes occur randomly. Patients usually do not have a family history of the condition.


4. ROHHAD

Rapid-onset Obesity with Hypothalamic dysfunction, Hypoventilation and Autonomic Dysregulation (ROHHAD syndrome) is a very rare disease. Patients with ROHHAD, as well as patients with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) have damaged the mechanism governing proper breathing. ROHHAD syndrome is a disease that is potentially lethal and incurable. Fifteen patients with ROHHAD were evaluated by Diego Ize-Ludlow et al. work published in 2007.


5. Leptin Resistance

Protein hormone produced by adipocytes; serves as one of inputs into signaling pathway believed to be involved in control of eating behavior. The hormone leptin can influence how much we feel like eating. A defective leptin gene will influence our eating patterns.

Read a great article about the leptin gene here, it is very interesting!

6. Bardet-Biedl syndrome

Bardet-Biedl syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects the brain and can cause multiple physical problems including a deterioration of the intellect and neurological functions. The syndrome sometimes affects eyesight with a condition called rod-cone dystrophy, a degeneration of light-sensitive cells in the periphery of the retina. This eye disorder causes night blindness, tunnel vision, decreased visual acuity, and photophobia (extreme sensitivity of the eyes to light). Other symptoms of Bardet-Biedl syndrome may include extra toes and/or fingers, mental retardation, kidney disease, and obesity.


7. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a hormonal imbalance linked to the way the body processes insulin after it has been produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar (glucose). Insulin Resistance, an underlying cause of PCOS, has many factors that contribute to its presence in the body.

8. Polydypsia

Psychogenic polydipsia is a form of polydipsia. Polydipsia is a medical symptom in which the patient displays excessive thirst. Polydipsia that is aggravated by a mental disorder is considered psychogenic polydipsia. Patients drink large quantities of water. Consequently, the patient produces excessive urine with a low electrolyte concentration, polyuria. The patient's kidney will be unable to manage the fluid overload and weight gain will result.


9.  Other causes: cortisol hormone and metabolic disorders

And these are just the few that I've researched, people have told me about or that we're testing for, I'm sure there are other causes out there that we're not aware of.

Thank you and hopefully this will help open people's eyes that not everyone who is fat is fat because they want to be. 

Though alot of us are, we have the choice to change our daily habits and lifestyles. So, in that case there is no excuse it's all about choice. :-)

I hope to have shedded some light. Please leave your comments on the blog!!!

Thank you!
LaToya "Toyiah Marquis" White
Laurie link
4/9/2011 09:02:56 pm

There is also a disease called Smith-Magenis where about 60% of the patients exhibit some of the hyperphagia similar to PWS. I don't know the mechanisms of it though.

One thing I would like to add is that an important characteristic of PWS that wasn't mentioned is the hyperphagia - it contributes greatly to the weight gain.

Laurie link
4/9/2011 09:09:26 pm

There is also a disease called Smith-Magenis where about 60% of the patients exhibit some of the hyperphagia similar to PWS. I don't know the mechanisms of it though.

One thing I would like to add is that an important characteristic of PWS that wasn't mentioned is the hyperphagia - it contributes greatly to the weight gain.

Joyce
7/25/2011 04:38:38 pm

Hi, I have a daughter who is 5 and her weight has been soaring since she was about two. I have been looking to see if there was a way to contact you to see if your daughter had shown any signs to her conditions?

nicole love link
8/30/2011 06:20:35 pm

I have a daughter, 4 and a son, 1 who have Bardet-biedl syndrome. One of my worse fears is the they might be bullied because of their weight or because of them being different. I wish I knew what caused the obesity in them. My daughter eats extremely healthy and so does my son. They are on an average 700 calorie diet and low sugars, but they are still overweight. Their bodies just work differently than ours I guess.


Comments are closed.

    LaNiyah Bailey

    Award-winning youth author and anti-bullying advocate.

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