Tom Staniford is one of the UK's top paracyclers. He weighed normally at birth, but lost almost all of his face and limb fat in his childhood. Still, Staniford's body has determined that he is overweight and is trying to lose weight.



The cause of Staniford's symptoms has long been unknown. However, scientists have discovered a genetic mutation that causes this rare genetic disorder. Staniford has revealed that there are only eight people in the world with "MDP syndrome." The British media Daily Mail reports.


The media reported that no matter how much you eat, no matter how high-calorie you eat, Staniford's body doesn't get fat. This sounds enviable, but because of the lack of natural cushions in the body, Staniford suffers from pain in his legs, hips, and buttocks. Also, the risk of fractures is higher than that of the general public.


Despite being so thin, Staniford's blood lipid levels are very high, reaching levels similar to those of obese people. As a result, Staniford developed diabetes. Hearing has deteriorated and he is currently using hearing aids.

An international research team led by the University of Exeter found a genetic mutation by comparing the genetic information of three people with similar symptoms to Staniford's genetic information. Dr. Andrew Hattersley of the University of Exeter Medical School explains:

"Tom's symptoms have been a mystery for years. I've witnessed a peculiar example of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, even though I'm not fat at all, but I have no idea where the cause is. rice field"

With this discovery, it is possible to find a cure for the disease. This also means that cyclist Staniford has the potential to compete in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At this stage, Staniford's strength is only about 40% of the average person. But if a cure for MDP syndrome is discovered, Staniford may be able to participate in the race with more muscle and fat than he does today.

But Staniford himself says the potential for gene therapy is very realistic. He says he can overcome his diabetes with a combination of training, diet and experience.

"After spending a lot of time on my bike, I was able to use cycling for self-treatment for diabetes. Eating certain diets and running certain cycling sessions made me more stable. We know that insulin management is possible. "