World’s fattest man dies

The world’s fattest man, Manuel Uribe, has died. Photography: Getty Images

He was once the world’s fattest man, weighing in at over 560 kilograms, before he “slimmed down” to 394kg

But it wasn’t enough to save the health of Manuel Uribe, who died in Monterrey, Mexico aged only 48 years of age. His death was confirmed by health officials but the cause has not yet been released. He had been bed-bound and unable to walk for years.
According to an unnamed official, Uribe had been transported to hospital by crane earlier this month, due to an abnormal heartbeat and potential liver complications. His mother Otilla Garza Alanís confirmed his health had been poor since May 2, and that complications arose from a burst vein in his leg.
For years Uribe’s diet was pizzas, burgers, chips and soda drinks. He led a sedentary life as a computer repair man in America and when he moved back to Mexico, his weight ballooned further with tacos and fried food.
In 2007, Uribe told ABC News: “I had an obesity problem for many years, a very significant one. I was gaining and gaining weight. I was on every diet you can imagine.”
“I used to eat normal, just like all Mexicans do… beans, rice, flour tortilla, corn tortilla, French fries, hamburgers, subs and pizzas, whatever regular people eat,” he said.
However, in 2008, Uribe married Claudia Solis, in front of 400 people; the wedding was one of the few times he left his home. He was taken to the wedding by truck in the bed he’d been confined to for six years (see below) and the ceremony was broadcast on US television. Despite losing weight for the wedding and sticking to his diet, he was still unable to walk in the years following.

Uribe arrives at his 2008 wedding. Photography: Getty Images
A 2013 report by the United Nations revealed that 32.8 percent of Mexicans are overweight, making it the fattest nation in the world – more obese than the USA

The world’s fattest man, who ballooned to 70 stone, has died at the age of 44.

Keith Martin, who died from pneumonia, had been bed-bound, unable to walk and at one point had not left his north London home for a decade.

Mr Martin admitted he knew he was killing himself by consuming 20,000 calories a day – almost 10 times the recommended amount for an adult.

He had six-egg fry-ups for breakfast then pizzas, kebabs, Chinese takeaways and Big Macs for lunch and dinner, all washed down with six pints of coffee and two litres of fizzy drinks.

Last year he had three quarters of his stomach removed and lost half his body weight.

But it has now emerged that just eight months later, in March this year, he died from pneumonia.

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Tragedy: Keith Martin, pictured in hospital ahead of last year’s surgery, whose weight rose to 70 stone and made him the world’s fattest man, has died at the age of 44

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Help: Mr Martin, from London, admitted he knew he was killing himself by consuming 20,000 calories a day – almost 10 times the recommended amount for an adult – leaving him unable to walk

Keith left behind his two sisters – Sharon and Tina – who cared for him for many years leading up to his death.

Speaking from the home they shared in Harlesden, north London, Tina said: ‘We’re still grieving. We miss him very much.’

Today the surgeon who removed three quarters of his stomach to help him lose weight has said the Government must bring in a fast-food tax.

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Unwell: Mr Martin admitted he knew he was killing himself with his eating but had weightloss surgery to try to tackle the problem before he died

Kesava Mannur, who operated on Keith at Homerton Hospital last year, said anyone with a Body Mass Index rate of higher than 30, and type 2 diabetes, should be offered weight-loss surgery.

He said: ‘The government needs to make unhealthy fast food more expensive – otherwise we’ll continue to see more and more people like Keith.

‘In his case, it’s a shame because he’d had successful surgery despite being high-risk because of his size. It was unlucky he then caught pneumonia’

Sadly it was just eight months after Keith – who weighed 70 stone at his heaviest – had undergone a successful gastric sleeve which removed three-quarters of his stomach.

If he had lived he would have lost hundreds of pounds and regained his ability to walk and live a normal life, according to Mr Mannur who supports new NHS guidelines which encourage doctors to suggest weight-loss surgery for anyone with a BMI higher than 30 and type 2 diabetes.

That means up to 2 million people could be eligible – and if they all agreed to surgery it would cost the NHS £12billion.

In the wake of Chancellor George Osborne’s tax reform revelations in this week’s autumn statement, Mr Mannur said last night:

Before he died in March, unemployed Keith admitted much of the weight had come from eating huge amounts of super-cheap fast food.

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Poor diet: Mr Martin feasted on pizzas, kebabs, Chinese takeaways and Big Macs for lunch and dinner

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Success: Mr Martin had managed to drop half his weight – from 70 stone to 35 stone –  but died of pneumonia

Keith Martin attempts to lose weight in Channel 5 documentary

Keith’s surgery was filmed for Channel 5 documentary 70 Stone & Almost Dead.

He said before the operation: ‘I’d resigned myself that either I was going to die in my bed or I was going to kill myself. But now I think ‘you stupid person’.

‘I’m a lot more confident than I used to be. I feel a lot happier.

‘In a few months’ time I want to be up and walking

‘I know the only person to blame is me. All those years wasted. I’m not going to waste anymore of it’.