In 2017, the story of a baby girl from Punjab, India, captured international attention after her weight increased at an extraordinary rate during her first year of life.

Chahat Kumar was born on July 24, 2016, weighing about 2 kilograms. According to reports from her family, her growth initially appeared normal, but everything changed when she reached around four months of age. Her appetite became unusually strong, and her weight began increasing rapidly. By eight months old, Chahat reportedly weighed 17 kilograms — a weight more commonly associated with a much older child.

Her parents said she frequently demanded milk and food and seemed constantly hungry. The situation became even more concerning as her increasing weight began affecting her breathing and sleep. Doctors also faced difficulties obtaining a blood sample during the early stages of investigation because of the unusual thickness and hardness of her skin, making it difficult to perform the necessary tests.

By nine months, reports placed Chahat’s weight at approximately 19.2 kilograms, more than twice the expected weight for a child of her age. Her family, who had limited financial resources, struggled to afford the advanced medical investigations needed to determine the cause.

Doctors initially considered several possibilities, including hormonal disorders and rare genetic conditions. Specialists at PGIMER in Chandigarh eventually pursued genetic testing. In July 2017, the Times of India reported that laboratory testing had identified a mutation involving the leptin gene, which plays an important role in regulating body weight and appetite. Doctors said the finding offered a possible explanation for Chahat’s unusually early-onset obesity and indicated that treatment could potentially be available.

The case also highlighted the difficulties faced by families seeking specialized genetic diagnosis and treatment. At one point, Chahat’s parents were reportedly unable to continue hospital investigations because of the cost, prompting efforts by medical institutions and authorities to help the family.

Chahat’s story is a reminder that extreme weight gain in infancy can have complex medical causes and should not automatically be attributed to parenting or excessive feeding. Rare genetic and hormonal disorders can affect the body’s mechanisms for controlling hunger and weight, requiring specialized medical evaluation.

Sources

• The Indian Express — April 14, 2017
• Times of India — July 24, 2017
• Times of India — July 26, 2017
• Times of India — May 14, 2018
• The Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology — Case report on severe early-onset obesity associated with a leptin-gene mutation