The boy who used to eat enough to feed 10 PEOPLE
- Mahesh Bhubathi has a rare genetic disorder that leaves him constantly hungry
- Treated like a celebrity in his village in India, strangers used to visit the teenager
- A weight loss surgeon became aware of his situation and offered free surgery
- Now, he weighs 230lbs – but this is still double the average of someone his age
Stephen Matthews For Mailonline
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An Indian teenager who weighed a staggering 330lbs has lost nearly seven stone in just three months after being gifted free surgery.
Mahesh Bhubathi, 15, from Anantapur district, used to eat enough to feed 10 people in just one single meal.
Doctors believe he suffers from a rare genetic disorder which often leaves children constantly hungry.
But after undergoing free bariatric surgery to remove some of his excess weight in January, he now weighs 230lbs – but this is still double the average weight of someone his age.
Since having the operation, he has been kept on a strict diet in the attempt to stop him from gaining any more weight.
Mahesh Bhubathi, 15, weighed 330lbs as a result of a rare condition which caused him to be constantly hungry. But he has since lost nearly a third of his weight as a result of surgery
According to his doctors, he consumes milk, fruits, two eggs a day and two pieces of chicken in a week.
Despite being born underweight, he quickly piled on the pounds after an illness when he was weeks old.
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His mother, who works on a farm, found it difficult to take care of her son and feed him – earning just Rs 60 (74p) each day.
Despite Sathala Sulochana’s struggle, the 35-year-old widow managed to cater for his needs.
Since having the operation, he has been kept on a strict diet in the attempt to stop him from gaining any more weight
Alongside his condition, Bhubathi is unable to speak. He requires round-the-clock help, from changing his clothes to taking a bath.
She said: ‘It was very difficult for me to meet the family needs. Bhubathi used to eat as much food in a single meal, which 10 persons can eat.’
Referred to as ‘Chota Bheem’, a cartoon character famous for being obese, he has become a celebrity in his village.
Strangers are very friendly to Bhubathi, and people from nearby villages often swing by to visit him.
Sulochana added: ‘He enjoys when people make fun of him but sometimes gets angry when they tease him.’
Alongside his condition, Bhubathi is unable to speak. He requires round-the-clock help, from changing his clothes to taking a bath (pictured before his weight loss)
WHAT IS THIS CONDITION?
Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic condition that causes problems including constant urges to eat food, restricted growth and reduced muscle tone.
Other potential issues include learning difficulties, lack of sexual development and behavioral problems such as tantrums or stubbornness.
The rare condition, which affects one in every 15,000 children born in England, is caused by a defect on chromosome number 15 – and happens by chance.
Because there is no cure, treatment aims to manage the symptoms – with parents of sufferers urged to get their children to stick to a healthy, balanced diet.
Children with the syndrome can eat up to six times more than children of the same age – and still feel hungry.
After becoming of the family’s situation, weight loss surgeon Dr Ravikanth Kongara offered his services for free.
Bhubathi was admitted to the Endocare Hospital in Vijayawada. Here he was diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome.
Not only can the dangerous weight gain cause heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but it can also cause behavioural problems and learning difficulties.
Dr Kongara said: ‘The ideal weight for him should be 77lbs, but when he was admitted in hospital he weighed 330lbs.
‘He has lost 100lbs in past three months now and we expect him to lose another 110lbs.’
Not only did Dr Kongara promise the boy free treatment, but he has provided his mother a job in the hospital as well, from which she earns £50 a month.
He said: ‘Sulochana is the only earning hand the family has. So, when she was in hospital with his son, who would have taken care of her family?
‘We asked her to work for few hours daily and she is being paid for that.’
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