World's Fattest Man Eats 20,000 Calories a Day

by Martha Edwards (Subscribe to Martha Edwards's posts)
Oct 21st 2009 9:00AM

Photo: Albanpix Ltd / Rex / Rex USA

It's embarrassing enough asking for a bigger size while shopping. So it is difficult to imagine how it would feel to be so large the British Air Force might have to airlift you to the hospital for a life-saving operation because you were too big to travel any other way. The world's fattest man, Paul Mason, needs to travel 150 miles to the hospital, but given his size a regular ambulance just won't cut it.

Weighing 976 pounds, Mason is rarely able to leave his bed. He requires extensive care, including seven caregivers, which are paid for by Britain's National Health Service to the tune of an estimated $164,000 a year. So far the cost of keeping Mason alive has topped $1 million.

Before you go feeling bad for Mason, consider this: The Daily Mail is reporting that he actually had an ambition to become the heaviest man in the world. After losing over 250 pounds in the hospital about three years ago, Mason told the staff he really didn't want to lose the weight. When he got back home, he gorged himself on family-sized portions everyday.

It is estimated that the 48-year-old compulsive eater consumes 20,000 calories a day -- 10 times the recommended daily limit.

Don't think eating that much in one day is possible? This man devoured a 30,000-calorie burger.

Comments (74)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

thelma 10-21-2009 @ 9:26PM

Who enables this man to get all this food.someone has to go out and buy it for him.

Jan O 10-28-2009 @ 6:53PM

In this case, it is the government who is to blame. They provide the
funding to provide the wrong foods; provide the caregivers who get
the foods; and then fail to provide the right medical Doctors who could address his state of mental health to reverse this disorder.

Jana 10-21-2009 @ 8:16PM

He is not very smart and a total pig.

Jane 10-21-2009 @ 8:18PM

This is sick! The government is having to pay to keep this idiot fat?! Who cares if he doesn't want to lose the weight. He has a disorder, then. Make him lose the weight and put him in a psychiatric facility. Or he can not receive government help. One or the other.

DANA 10-21-2009 @ 9:31PM

Amen Sista!!

Chad 10-21-2009 @ 9:51PM

Exactly. It's one thing to pay for it himself ( food, healthcare... etc.), and have no care for his well being. But why should the hard working people of the country pay for his glutttony while most of them (or us, octomom) can barely afford necessities?

Carolyn Wiley 10-21-2009 @ 9:58PM

You ought to be ashamed of yourself! As a 10 year recovering anorexic, food addiction is much more than just the behaviors of eating or restricting your food. There are underlying issues within themselves that we use food to cope like any other addiction. It sounds like you have many of your own issues with the judgements that you have placed upon this man.

Christina 10-21-2009 @ 10:24PM

Sorry Carolyne, I agree with Jane. Sorry that you had an eating disorder and yes I know that it's caused by underlying issues, but that's all the more reason to put him in the hospital psych ward. Obviously his behavior is life threatening, that's what you do in those situations where the family can't pay for it. My brother's been in 3 times now and is finally doing better.

JennyD 10-21-2009 @ 8:19PM

This is what socialized medicine will bring us.

J. By 10-24-2009 @ 6:12PM

Jeffry Dalmer had a eating disorder.

EWL 10-22-2009 @ 1:19AM

you took the words right out of my mouth, you and I can see how many lazy people in our country will jump all over this!!!!!!!

JRCB 10-21-2009 @ 8:22PM

I don't feel sorry for him. He did this to himself. Why is this news? I cannot believe the British government is paying for his care. I am sorry but when it is OBVIOUS he did this to himself, he should be forced to lose weight and stop using other people's money to sit there and fester in his disgusting fatness.

sandrad 10-21-2009 @ 8:32PM

He obviously has mental health issues. He should seek professional help.
Also, who is providing him with all the food? He would be unable to
go shopping., Someone is enabling him.

Jennifer 10-21-2009 @ 8:30PM

This story is disgusting and how can that country be stupid enough to pay for this? He eats and eats and then the government pays for his care. I say, let him die. He doesn't care. Let him die.

Pandy 10-21-2009 @ 8:40PM

Harsh, you want him to die? He probably wants that also, he's sick, he needs help, not more food. And who is getting all this food for him? And WHO is paying for it?

kelli 10-21-2009 @ 8:43PM

Hey the good news is if the new health care plan goes through we too could support this man, and many, many, many, more just like him.

Cheryl 10-21-2009 @ 8:43PM

SORRY TO BE CRUEL, BUT EITHER HE PAYS FOR HIS OWN CARE OR JUST LET HIM DIE. FOR OTHERS TO BE PAYING FOR THIS MAN'S GLUTTONY AND IT'S SUBSEQUENT MORBID OBESITY IS BEYOND DYFUNCTION.
HE HAS MADE A CONSCIOUS CHOICE................LET HIM LIVE (OR DIE) WITH THE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES OF HIS CHOICES.

carolyn wiley 10-21-2009 @ 10:04PM

You ought to be ashamed of yourself too! As a 10 year recovering anorexic, overeating or restricting food is only the symptom and behavior! There are underlying issues as to why we use food to cope just as any other addiction! It sounds like you too have a lot of issues within yourself by placing such harsh and uncalled for judgement on this man! You "reap what you sew" my dear!

nancy 10-21-2009 @ 8:44PM

where does he get the money to pay for all the food? and who gives it to him - he cannot walk, he cannot get out of bed. You couldn't pay me enough to be on charge of his bed pans!!!