Effect of non-pharmacological intervention on the nutritional status of patients with Prader Willi Syndrome

Obesity is highly prevalent in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), particularly among adults. This condition, which can be morbid in many cases, is multifactorial and has a complex management. The purpose of our study was to describe the feasibility of achieving a better nutritional status, including normal weight in individuals diagnosed with PWS, through specific nutritional interventions within the framework of a transdisciplinary treatment and without resorting to pharmacological treatments or growth hormone (GH).

This observational study included patients with confirmed genetic diagnosis of PWS, receiving transdisciplinary treatment in a specialized rare diseases institution. Patients under treatment with GH and those under pharmacological treatment with nutritional objectives were excluded from the study. All patients attended our institution regularly on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Anthropometric records, including weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated in each visit from treatment onset until the last check-up.

We included 24 patients with confirmed genetic diagnosis of PWS. At baseline, 9 patients (38 %) had obesity grade III, 1 (4 %) of obesity grade II, 10 (42 %) of obesity grade I, 2 (8 %) of overweight, and 2 patients (8 %) with normal baseline weight. After a median duration of 52 months (interquartile range 23-116 months) of transdisciplinary nutritional treatment, we identified a significant reduction in BMI (baseline 40.2 ± 15.7 kg/m2 vs. follow-up 28.3 ± 6.7 kg/m2, p < 0.0001), without significant differences regarding height (baseline 1.45 ± 0.1 m vs. follow-up 1.48 ± 0.1 m, p = 0.09).

In this study, we demonstrated that nutritional nonpharmacologic interventions immersed in a transdisciplinary treatment enabled a consistent and sustainable improvement in BMI and nutritional status among patients with PWS.