World's Fattest Man

[Rapscallion]

After all it's mind over matter.

Perhaps, but that's a pretty serious amount of matter. I think the guy needs a non-eating goal set for him, something to distract himself from eating all the time. With that weight, he can't be able to go out and get takeaways for himself, so his dedicated carers have to stop taking him the food.

Part of me, though, says that Darwin's being thwarted on this one. If society works to get this person back to a liveable state, assumedly still somewhat overweight yet able to at least move and seek employment, will he be able to perform any useful task for society in return? Is this a condition where we should save someone from their own actions?

Rapscallion

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I tend to agree with Raps. This is pretty much what I would call "suicide by twinkie."

And he's got people obviously coluding to keep him in this state. I'm sorry, but if you can't even get up to go get yourself something to eat, maybe you don't need to eat until you can. The dude did not get this way overnight.

Talk about thwarting Darwin.

[violetyoshi]

I saw in another of those articles people said we was trying to be the world's fattest man, I hope that is just hype.

Ya know, they took records like out of Guinness for pets because people were harming their pets, makin' em fat.

Hype, from The Sun...no, you must be kidding! (sarcasm)

[Flyndaran]

Perhaps, but that's a pretty serious amount of matter. I think the guy needs a non-eating goal set for him, something to distract himself from eating all the time. With that weight, he can't be able to go out and get takeaways for himself, so his dedicated carers have to stop taking him the food.

Part of me, though, says that Darwin's being thwarted on this one. If society works to get this person back to a liveable state, assumedly still somewhat overweight yet able to at least move and seek employment, will he be able to perform any useful task for society in return? Is this a condition where we should save someone from their own actions?

Rapscallion

That hits too close to home. I don't perform any useful task for society. Would you say the world would be a better place if I died?

How about we get him hooked on WOW? Then he might forget to eat while railing about those damn escort quests.

Humans cannot simply lose weight by not eating. There has to be a careful dietary adjustment made to avoid severe health problems. He should demand that his care givers actually care about him, and not just give in to begging. I mean, what's he going to do, besides use hurtful words at them?

[XCashier]

Humans cannot simply lose weight by not eating. There has to be a careful dietary adjustment made to avoid severe health problems.

This is true; if you just stop eating, your body will go into "famine mode" and hold onto your excess weight for all it's worth. He needs a good nutritionist to make up a diet with healthy meals that include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and little to no fried or sugary stuff. He also needs exercise. Naturally, he'll have to start slowly (I seem to recall Richard Simmons helping an extremely obese woman exercise, starting her out with clapping her hands for a while). Most of all, he has to want to lose the weight. He has to train his mind to resist the siryn call of the burgers and milkshakes, and to accept the new regimen.

He also needs support. Encouragement is very helpful to dieters, especially during the "plateau" phase, those long stretches where it seems you're not losing anything. These carers who cater to his every whim either need to adjust their mindsets or be replaced by people who can help him, rather than hinder him.

Now granted, I'm no expert in the matter, but I've struggled with my own weight long enough to understand it's no easy task, and I weigh less than one-fourth what he weighs. If he truly wants to change, I wish him the very best of luck.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Part of me, though, says that Darwin's being thwarted on this one. If society works to get this person back to a liveable state, assumedly still somewhat overweight yet able to at least move and seek employment, will he be able to perform any useful task for society in return? Is this a condition where we should save someone from their own actions?

Rapscallion

Seeing as it's the taxpayers, ie you and me, who are paying for this guy's team of carers/enablers, then I'd say that something must be done. Maybe not throwing expensive surgery at him, but perhaps just getting a far more economical carers team who are actually going to want to help him, rather than just buy him more food. If he doesn't like it, then tough; he'll be dead in a few months anyway without help.

So in that case, ie that he doesn't want to change, then I'd agree with you; let nature take its course. Sounds heartless, but just as in the case of a chronic alcoholic killing themselves with alcohol, all the treatment in the world is going to be pointless unless they actually WANT to be helped.

[Rapscallion]

Hmm - starting to think this could be derailing the thread somewhat. I'm going to start a new one about thwarting Darwin.

Rapscallion