Who is Juan Pedro Franco, the world's biggest man?

History of heaviest humans as world"s biggest man loses half his body weight
Juan Pedro Franco. Photo: Guinnessworldrecords

How does his weight loss compare with previous holders of the heaviest man record?

According to Newsweek, Juan Pedro Franco, 33, was once the world's heaviest man alive. At 1,300 pounds, the Mexico native weighed nearly seven times as much as an average man, but he has since lost more than 500 pounds. His weight loss story is impressive, but doctors advise he still has further to go.

Franco is currently in Zapopan, Mexico, recovering from his second gastric bypass weight loss surgery operation, which involved splitting his stomach in half and removing a section of his intestines in order to reduce the amount of food he is able to consume. According to The International Business Times, Franco is recovering well and his doctors are optimistic about his future weight loss goals. Although Franco has lost a significant amount since his first weight-loss operation in May, his doctors hope that this final operation will help him lose an additional 200 pounds, bringing his total weight to around 600 pounds.

He had suffered from morbid obesity since childhood, his condition exacerbated by an injury he sustained aged 17. "My body just followed its own path without any control whatsoever," he said of his spiraling weight gain. "I tried to diet day after day, but nothing worked and I became desperate."In November 2016, Franco made headlines around the world when he was hospitalized for life-saving treatment. Initially reported to weigh 1,105 lb (501 kg; 79 st), he actually tipped the scales at 594.8 kg (1,311 lb 4.9 oz; 93 st 9 lb) – the weight of nearly 10 average adult men.

Previous holders

Prior to Franco, the heaviest man in the world was fellow Mexican Manuel "Meme" Uribe Garza of Monterrey, who reached a peak weight of 560 kg (1,235 lb; 88 st) – heavier than six average men – in January 2006.

He made a televised plea for help and slimmed down to 840 lb (381 kg; 60 st) with the guidance of obesity experts. Manuel was hospitalized in May 2014 suffering from cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and liver failure and passed away three weeks later at the age of 48.

Other heaviest men of recent times include Michael Hebranko (US, 1953–2013), who suffered from morbid obesity his entire life and whose weight peaked at 1,100 lb (499 kg; 78 st) in 1999. The wall of Michael's home had to be removed in order to get him to hospital and a whale sling used to maneuver him into bed.

T J Albert Jackson (the US, 1941–88), meanwhile, peaked at 890 lb (404 kg; 63 st 9 lb). "Fat Albert", as he was known, had a chest measurement of 305 cm (120 in), a waist of 294 cm (116 in) and a 75‑cm (29‑in) neck.

History of heaviest humans as world"s biggest man loses half his body weight

Robert Earl Hughes. Photo: Guinnessworldrecords


He went on beat his own "girth" record, retitled to Largest chest measurement, peaking at 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in) – a record that still stands to this day. Weighing in at 946 lb (429 kg; 67 st 8 lb), Robert Earl Hughes (the US, 1926–58) of Fish Hook, Illinois, was the first living man to be listed in the original Guinness Book of Records for his weight. In our first edition in 1955, we noted that: "He was an 11 lb baby and weighed 27 stone at the age of 10." We went on to say that he "also possesses the greatest record girth at 109 inches (9 ft 1 in)".

The Heaviest man ever was Jon Brower Minnoch (US), who had suffered from obesity since childhood. In September 1976, he measured 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) tall and weighed 442 kg (974 lb; 69 st 9 lb).

But just two years later, in March 1978, Jon was admitted to University Hospital, Seattle, US, where consultant endocrinologist Dr. Robert Schwartz calculated that he must have weighed in excess of 1,400 lb (635 kg; 100 st).

A great deal of this was due to water accumulation – a result of his congestive heart failure. In order to get Jon to hospital, a dozen firemen and an improvised stretcher were required to move him from his home to a ferry boat. When he arrived at University Hospital, saturated with fluid and suffering from heart and respiratory failure, Jon was put in two beds lashed together. It took 13 people to roll him over.

After nearly two years on a diet of 1,200 calories per day, Jon was discharged at 216 kg (476 lb; 34 st). In Oct 1981, however, he had to be readmitted after putting on more than 89 kg (196 lb; 14 st). When he passed away on 10 September 1983, the heaviest person ever weighed more than 362 kg (798 lb; 57 st).

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