Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic disease characterized by weakness and degeneration of the skeletal or voluntary muscles which control movement. The muscles of the heart and other involuntary muscles can be affected and a few forms involve other organs as well. The major forms of muscular dystrophy are myotonic, duchenne, becker, limb-girdle, distal and emery-dreifuss. Duchenne most commonly affects children and myotonic most commonly affects adults. Some cases may be mild and very slowly progressive, while others may have a more marked progression of muscle weakness, functional disability and loss of ambulation. The life expectancy depends on the degree. For example, with duchenne, death usually occurs in the late teens to early twenties.
             Symptoms are different in each type of muscular dystrophy. For example, duchenne symptoms begin between ages 2 and 4. The child falls frequently due to weakening of leg muscles and has difficulty getting up from the ground. The child will also have trouble running or walking normally. The calf muscles gradually enlarge as the legs become weaker and there is weakness in arm and neck muscles. By age 12 most patients are unable to walk and are limited to a wheelchair. As the illness progresses, there is also an abnormal curvature of the spine. They also suffer from mental impairment or heart problems. In myotonic dystrophy there is an abnormally prolonged muscle contraction. It can develop in birth or early adulthood. It affects the hands, wrists, and tongue. There is also wasting of facial muscles, neck muscles and muscles of the wrists, fingers, and ankles. The tongue and throat muscles cause speech problems and difficulty swallowing. If the diaphragm and chest muscles are involved there may be breathing problems.
             There is no specific treatment for any of the forms of muscular dystrophy and no cure. The patients are given a healthy meal plan to help them avoid obesity because it could cause...