Lizzie Velasquez, a 21-year-old college student in Austin, Texas who suffers from a rare and undiagnosed syndrome that prevents her from putting on weight, has to eat every 15 minutes in order to stay alive.
Velasquez wears triple-zero sized clothing, and has almost zero percent body fat. She eats 60 small meals a day and almost never gains weight. Consuming between 5,000 and 8,000 calories daily, the communications student has never tipped over 59 pounds.
“I weigh myself regularly and if I gain even one pound I get really excited,” said 5ft 2 ins Miss Velasquez, who wears size triple zero clothes, quoted The Telegraph. “I eat every 15-20 minutes to keep my energy levels up.
“I eat small portions of crisps, sweets, chocolate, pizza, chicken, cake, doughnuts, ice cream, noodles and pop tarts all day long, so I get pretty upset when people accuse me of being anorexic.”
Velasquez was born four weeks prematurely weighing just two pounds and 10 ounces. Doctors found there was minimal amniotic fluid protecting her in the womb. Genetic experts could not diagnose her illness, and her case fascinated doctors all over the world.
Doctors first thought that Velasquez might have the genetic disorder De Barsy syndrome, but ruled it out as she did not have learning difficulties.
Lizzie’s case has fascinated doctors across the world. Now she is part of a genetic study run by Professor Abhimanyu Garg, at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Garg believes Velasquez may have Neonatal Progeroid Syndrome which causes accelerated ageing, fat loss from the face and body, and tissue degeneration. People with PRS often have triangular and prematurely aged faces with a pointy nose.
“However, Lizzie is lucky to have healthy organs and bones so the outlook is good,” he said, and added, “We will continue to study her case.”