World's most obese man who once weighed 1,322 pounds dies aged 41

The world's most obese man, who once weighed more than 1,300 pounds, has died at the age of 41 after developing a serious kidney infection.

Juan Pedro Franco passed away on December 24 while receiving treatment in a hospital in the central Mexican state of Aguascalientes, after his condition rapidly worsened due to complications linked to a renal infection. 

His death was confirmed by his treating physician, Dr José Antonio Castaneda, who said Franco developed systemic complications in the days leading up to his demise.

Franco's extraordinary weight first brought him global attention in 2017, when Guinness World Records recognised him as the world's most obese living person. 

At his peak, he weighed 1,322 pounds and was largely confined to bed after years of extreme obesity left him unable to move independently.

Later that year, he began an intensive, closely monitored medical programme under Dr Castaneda's care. 

The treatment plan included a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruit and vegetables, followed by two bariatric procedures, first a gastric sleeve operation and later a gastric bypass. 

The combined treatment resulted in a dramatic reduction in his weight, cutting it by almost half and allowing him to walk again after years of immobility.

Doctors said the improvement reduced his risk of diabetes-related complications and cardiovascular strain, though his long history of illness continued to leave him vulnerable.

In 2020, Franco survived COVID-19 despite being categorised as extremely high risk due to his medical background.

His doctor later described his case as one of the most complex he had ever treated, saying Franco's openness about his struggles helped highlight obesity as a chronic disease requiring long-term, compassionate medical care.

Talking about his weight issues, he said: 'My body just followed its own path without any control whatsoever.'

'I tried to diet day after day, but nothing worked, and I became desperate.' 

After he underwent weight loss surgery, he said: 'Just being able to lift up your arms and get up every day, get up for a glass of water or to go to the toilet, makes you feel great.

'It feels fantastic to be able to move more and be more self-sufficient.'

Franco's death draws comparisons with other extreme obesity cases that ended in fatal complications. 

One of the most notable was American man Jon Brower Minnoch, who once weighed an estimated 1,400 pounds and held the record as the heaviest person ever documented. 

Minnoch died in 1983 at the age of 41 after suffering heart and respiratory failure following years of severe health complications. 

Another widely known case was that of Manuel Uribe, also from Mexico, who weighed more than 1,200 pounds at his heaviest. 

Uribe lost a significant amount of weight following medical intervention, but died in 2014 at the age of 48 from liver failure linked to long-term obesity-related illness.