‘Fattest man in the world’ dies at age 44

[Northerner]

A British man whom media had identified as the fattest person alive has died of pneumonia after a devastating battle with an eating disorder that brought him to 980 pounds (70st).

News.com.au reported that Keith Martin, of London, underwent a gastric sleeve operation that removed three-quarters of his stomach, and was bound to his bed eight months before his death. He was 44.

According to The Daily Mirror, Martin had consumed about 20,000 calories a day in a diet that included six-egg fried breakfasts, and lunches and dinners with pizza, kebabs, takeout food and Big Macs. He also reportedly consumed 3.5 liters of coffee and 2 liters of carbonated drinks every day.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/12/06/fattest-man-in-world-dies-at-age-44/

What always amazes me is how the human body can function at all at those kinds of weights for any length of time 😱

 

[KookyCat]

It is amazing, good genes I imagine. Incredibly sad, I watched the documentary and he was a nice man, his sister did everything for him but very clearly it was an illness. It's a massive oversimplification to say cheap food is the cause, it might be the cause of mild obesity but eating yourself to death is a form of self harm and should be treated by someone with expertise in that area. A gastric sleeve was never going to sort his problems out though not really although it became a medical emergency so not many other options. Very sad.

 

[HOBIE]

How did he manage to get to work ? I could not eat a box of eggs for breaky. Never mind in a week.

 

[trophywench]

You couldn't eat 6 eggs in a week?

Even with my small appetite I could easily eat one every morning as part of a cooked brekkie, then there's egg and mayo for sandwiches or with salad - but those not every day of course.

Then there's eggs in low carb cheese muffins, standard recipe makes 6 and somehow they disappear just like that - plus anything else I might consume during that week with eggs in. Bit of cake, brioche, quiche - whatever.

And I don't either 'work' (well not FOR anyone for money anyway!) or go on long cycle rides or walks. Which you do!

I mean - I don't as it happens, but it wouldn't hurt me if I did and I've frequently done so on holiday when I've paid someone else to be bothered to cook me brekkie!

Wouldn't you?

 

[Andy HB]

How did he manage to get to work ? I could not eat a box of eggs for breaky. Never mind in a week.

According to the article, he never worked. Mind you I do wonder how someone who didn't work could afford so much food?

Anyway, it is sad that people get like this and are then allowed to progress to such an extent that they are bound to their bed for eight months. No doubt a carer was aiding his addiction towards the end.

Andy

 

[Sally71]

I think it said his sister was doing everything for him. Which includes giving him food. Which is usually the case with these super-obese people. I can't understand that - surely if she loved him she'd be trying to get him medical help instead of just feeding him even more junk and making the problem worse?

The article also said that he was agoraphobic since he was young and had other issues which had also never been properly addressed. Which presumably was at the root of it all, sad that he never got the help that he needed

 

[KookyCat]

His sister was in the documentary she did get him help but he was a much stronger character than her, and I think if I remember correctly it all came from losing their Mother, and I think looking after him was her way of dealing with it. All she did was care for him, so maybe she was scared of what might happen if he could look after himself. They clearly needed help a long time before it arrived, really tragic, he was a very nice very determined man and I'm sad nothing could be done

 

[Northerner]

When I was in hospital at diagnosis there was a man in the bed opposite who weighed in at 35st. He had Type 2 and was in because of an infection in his legs. Whether it was because of his weight or his veins, or a combination, they had great difficulty giving him intravenous antobiotics so he had been in a while. In addition to his hospital food, his daughter came in regularly with enough junk food to feed a family of 6. She clearly cared for him, but simply didn't understand that she might be doing him harm

 

[KookyCat]

When I was in hospital at diagnosis there was a man in the bed opposite who weighed in at 35st. He had Type 2 and was in because of an infection in his legs. Whether it was because of his weight or his veins, or a combination, they had great difficulty giving him intravenous antobiotics so he had been in a while. In addition to his hospital food, his daughter came in regularly with enough junk food to feed a family of 6. She clearly cared for him, but simply didn't understand that she might be doing him harm

I think a lot of people show love through food, it's a shame more people aren't comfortable with a hug, more comforting and less harmful.