The poor little kid.
FoxNews showed a brief video. The mother was shoveling food into the kid's mouth. Unless the child has some medical condition (and the reports said he didn't), then the problem is 'enabler' parent(s).
Appetite Disorder
Hypothalamic dysfunction is thought to be the cause of the disordered appetite/satiety function characteristic of PWS. Compulsive eating and obsession with food usually begin before age 6. The urge to eat is physiological and overwhelming; it is difficult to control and requires constant vigilance.
Weight Management Challenge
Compounding the pressure of excessive appetite is a decreased calorie utilization in those with PWS (typically 1,000-1,200 kcal per day for adults), due to low muscle mass and inactivity. A balanced, low-calorie diet with vitamin and calcium supplementation is recommended. Regular weigh-ins and periodic diet review are needed. The best meal and snack plan is one the family or caregiver is able to apply routinely and consistently. Weight control depends on external food restriction and may require locking the kitchen and food storage areas.
My experience with a coupl of children with this suggest that the "locking the kitchen and food storage areas" advice is a major "no kidding!" suggestion.
Children with this will literally eat until no more can be stuffed inside if sufficient food is available. They are often completely indescriminate in what food they will eat...raw eggs, sticks of butter, raw bacon or hamburger, straight sugar, vanilla extract, partially rotten food - pretty much anything.
It was not uncommon to hear parents of children with this relate coming home after a major trip to the grocery store, and in returning for the last bag finding the doors to the house locked...and when they finally get inside, finding their child has eaten everything openable that they'd bought.
Dont you believe it. I had a daughter who was 30 pounds at 7 months and is about 200 at age 11. We were vegan vegiarians when she was little. The child eats and eats. When she was a babe I tried to cut her back to no avail. She would scream for hours our primary said give her all the food she wants, she must need it. She would drink formula until she vomited.
She has been to Boston Children's and monitered by my primary. He says there is nothing I can do. There are no fun snacks and soda at our house. He feels she is prediabatic. I think she has no off switch. I would give ten years of my life to adress this issue/