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The Sporkful

The Sporkful

This Rare Condition Causes Extreme, Insatiable Hunger

Aug 10, 2026 · 44m

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On this episode

About this episode

The Rao family in Maryland knew that something was different about their younger daughter, Ayoni, almost as soon as she was born. But it took them until she was five to get a diagnosis of Prader-Willi Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes extreme, insatiable hunger. Food needs to be locked away from many of these patients, or they might eat until their stomachs actually rupture.