JAKARTA - The man who once held the title of the world's most obese person, Juan Pedro Franco, died at the age of 41 after suffering from a serious kidney infection. Franco died on December 24 while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the state of Aguascalientes, central Mexico.
His condition was reported to have deteriorated rapidly due to complications related to the kidney infection. Franco's death was confirmed by the doctor who treated him, Dr. José Antonio Castaneda.
"Franco had systemic complications in the days before he died," he said, quoted from the Daily Mail website.
Juan Pedro Franco's name began to be known to the world in 2017, when Guinness World Records named him the most obese man alive. At his peak weight, Franco reached around 1,322 pounds or more than 600 kilograms.
This condition made him have to lie in bed and unable to move on his own for years. Still in the same year, Franco started an intensive medical treatment program under the strict supervision of Dr. Castaneda.
The program includes a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as two bariatric surgeries, namely gastric sleeve surgery and then gastric bypass.
The results are quite significant. Franco's weight dropped by almost half and was able to walk again after years of being unable to move. Doctors say the weight loss reduces the risk of diabetes complications and pressure on the heart, although his long history of illness still makes his condition vulnerable.
In 2020, Franco was infected with COVID-19. Although he was in the very high risk category due to his health condition, he managed to survive and recover.
Dr. Castaneda then described Franco's case as one of the most complex of his career. According to him, Franco's openness in telling his struggle helped raise awareness that obesity is a chronic disease that requires long-term and empathetic treatment. On several occasions, Franco has spoken about his weight problem.
"My body is like walking on its own without me being able to control it," said Franco.
He also admitted that he had tried various diets every day, but it was not successful and made him desperate. After undergoing weight loss surgery, Franco felt a big change in his life.
"Just being able to raise your hand, get up every day, grab a glass of water or go to the toilet, it makes you feel so happy. It feels amazing to be more mobile and independent," Franco said.
Franco's death reminds the public of several other cases of extreme obesity that ended in fatal complications. One of them is Jon Brower Minnoch from the United States, who is estimated to have weighed around 1,400 pounds and is recorded as the heaviest human in history. Minnoch died in 1983 at the age of 41 due to heart and respiratory failure.
Another well-known case is Manuel Uribe, a Mexican man who once weighed more than 1,200 pounds. Despite losing a significant amount of weight after undergoing medical treatment, Uribe died in 2014 at the age of 48 from liver failure related to long-term illness due to obesity.
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