General Health, Obesity

Hyperinsulinemia is a probable trigger for weight gain and hyperphagia in individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome

This study explores the role of insulin in weight gain and hyperphagia (excessive appetite) in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a primary genetic cause of early childhood obesity..

The research analyzed fasting plasma insulin levels in children with Prader-Willi syndrome, healthy-weight sibling controls, and peers with early-onset major obesity aged between 0 to 12 years.

The findings indicated that children with Prader-Willi syndrome exhibited significant increases in insulin levels from nutritional phase 1b to phase 3, which were associated with weight gains, obesity, and hyperphagia. In phase 3, their insulin levels were comparable to the early-onset major obesity group and higher than the sibling control group.

The study suggests that controlling insulin levels early on might mitigate the onset and severity of obesity and hyperphagia in children with Prader-Willi syndrome and other non-Prader-Willi syndrome early-onset obesity cases.