Summary
Background
The importance of hyperphagia as a cause for energy imbalance in humans with Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) has not been established. We therefore compared hyperphagic symptoms in patients with BBS versus controls.
Methods
We studied 13 patients with BBS and 23 nonsyndromic controls with similar age, sex, and BMI z-score. A 13-item hyperphagia questionnaire was completed by patients’ parents/guardians.
Results
Total hyperphagia questionnaire score was higher in BBS than controls (27.6±9.0 vs. 19.1±7.9, p=0.005). Behavior and drive sub-scales were higher for BBS than controls (12.5±4.1 vs. 7.8±3.2, p=0.001, and 11.2±4.1 vs. 8.3±3.8, p=0.04, respectively); severity was not significantly different between groups (3.8±1.5 vs. 3.0±1.3, p=0.072). After adjustment for demographic variables and BMI-Z score, total and behavior subscale scores remained significantly different between groups, suggesting food-seeking activity, rather than preoccupation with food may be the main hyperphagic feature among patients with BBS.
Conclusion
Appetite dysregulation may contribute to obesity in BBS.
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