World’s Fattest Man Dies at 44

British Keith Martin, declared the world’s fattest man (weighed 445 kilos at his heaviest), has died of the age of 44, UK’s The Mirror reported.

According to Mirror, Martin died from pneumonia following a prolonged battle with his weight, eight months after a gastric sleeve was fitted which reduced his stomach to a quarter of its size. Martin’s weight expanded after consuming on average 20,000 calories a day.

Report said his unhealthy diet included six-egg fried breakfasts and lunches and dinners consisting of pizzas, kebabs, take-outs and Big Macs.

Each day he sank 3.5 litres of coffee and two litres of fizzy drinks, it added.

Martin’s surgeon, Kesava Mannur, fitted his gastric belt at London’s Homerton hospital in the hope that he could dramatically reduce his weight and extend his life.

Since Martin’s death, Mannur has called on the UK government to impose a fast-food tax to help protect the morbidly obese.

“Keith, like many people, had some emotional issues and he turned to food for comfort. That type of behavior is nothing new, but what is new is how easy it is for people in that situation to buy a lot of cheap junk food,” he said.

Martin came into the public eye during a documentary for UK’s Channel Five. Martin spent most of his time playing video games and watching TV and used food as a means “to ease the pain” and before he knew it, “he was binging every time” something upset him, report said.

During filming, Martin, a self-confessed agoraphobic (fear of public places), said in front of cameras that he had long suffered with depression since the death of his mother who died from pneumonia.

Since the age of 16, Martin had continually struggled with his weight which lead to severe depression in his twenties.

Source: UK Mirror

Image Credit: www.mirror.co.uk