Rare genetic disorder means hormone that tells the brain hunger is satiated is missing in their bodies
Almost three years after they first came into limelight, two sisters from Una may have hopefully found a solution to their morbid obesity, a result of a genetic condition.
The sisters Yogita and Amisha Nandwana both aged 8.5 years and 6 years respectively lost close to 10 kgs each following a sleeve gastrectomy bariatric surgery. The surgery involves reducing the size of the stomach pouch as a result of which the ability to consume food goes down.
It should be noted that the sisters were first brought to Civil Hospital in 2015 and government had also promised to extend help to them but things didn't work out.
Dr Mahendra Narwaria, chairman of Asian Bariatrics, who operated on the children for gratis said that the two siblings suffer from the absence of Leptin Receptor hormones.
"This hormone is predominantly found in the stomach and it is the one that sends a signal to the brain when our hunger is satiated. But in this case, the absence of it meant, the children do not realise when their hunger is satiated resulting in overeating. This has to lead to a obesity in them," said Dr Narwaria. He said it was important to control this hormone. "Since Leptin hormone injections are not available here, the only option left for us was to reduce the hunger hormone by reducing the size of the stomach," said Dr Narwaria.
Following the surgery, Yogita who weighted 82 kgs has reduced her weight to 72 kgs and Yogita's weight has come down from 59 to 50 kg.
"What the kids suffer from is a rare genetic disorder. It is found perhaps in 1% of the cases,"said Dr Narwaria. He said the children will continue to need vitamin and mineral supplements for two years. "Unlike adults, children will continue to grow and the stomach will return to its normal size. But by that time through exercise, reduced hunger and a monitored diet, the children should have come down to a normal size. From then on the management of their weights should be relatively easy," said Dr Narwaria.
The process also involves a lot of psychological adjustments for both the parents and the children. "We have prescribed them a diet plan that is in accordance with what they eat during their routine daily life. Moreover, as the portion sizes were reduced we advised the parents to give them food in small plates and bowls so that it would seem like the children are being given a full meal and they don't feel that they are being deprived of anything," said Dr Marwaria.
The morbid obesity in the children also resulted in fatty liver, kidney problems and difficulty to breathe.
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 "Yogita Nandwana and Amisha Nandwana")
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