Harvey Price is set to go on a course of Ozempic treatment to help with his weight issues after mum Katie Price revealed he is at risk of having a heart attack, despite only being in his early twenties.
Aged 22, Harvey is the son of former glamour model Katie and retired Manchester United and Aston Villa footballer, Dwight Yorke.
Now, due to health issues Harvey has lived with his entire life, he is set to go on the weight loss drug due to issuing with controlling it. One condition he lives with causes him to always be hungry, which is why he is 28 stone, Katie says.
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"It’s really, really serious and life-changing for Harvey. He’s at risk of a heart attack, and because of his condition, he’s not getting any smaller," Katie told The Sun.
Prader-Willi syndrome and 'dangerous weight gain'
Harvey Price has a rare genetic condition known as Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS).
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Something that is often noticeable soon after birth, the NHS says it 'causes a wide range of physical symptoms, learning difficulties and behavioural challenges'.
As for issues with eating, the health service stresses the seriousness of this, listing one of the main symptoms as 'an excessive appetite and overeating, which can easily lead to dangerous weight gain'.
Katie says: "He’s putting on weight. It doesn’t matter what we do. He can’t put his shoes on without sweating. He can’t walk far because he gets out of breath.
"It’s because of all the weight. So the doctors are doing it to give him a better, longer life, and for his health."
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Other symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome include a lack of sexual development and behavioural challenges such as emotional outbursts and being physically aggressive.
What other health issues does Harvey Price have?
Harvey also lives with autism and a condition known as septo-optic dysplasia.
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This is a condition that affects brain function, with one in every 10,000 births resulting in the diagnosis. It can cause vision and cognitive problems as well as seizures and a lack of energy.
Harvey Price's Ozempic treatment
Katie revealed that Harvey is set to start an Ozempic treatment programme for at least one to two years.
He will be assessed for what level of the drug he needs to take due to his pre-existing medical problems.
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"The good thing about starting him on the drug is, if it has any effect, you can stop it because you do it weekly," Katie said.
“We’ve tried food, he’s had dieticians, it’s just the way he is. And he’s on a lot of medication which the drug won’t affect.
“They want to try him on it for at least one or two years, which is a long time, but they’ll control what level he needs then up it as they assess it.”
Roughly one million Brits are expected to be using Ozempic in the UK by autumn 2025. You can only get access to the drug via a prescription.
Topics: Katie Price, Parenting, Health, UK News, Celebrity
Tom Earnshaw