10 June 2023 , 19:09
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A man who won the Guinness World Record as the most heaviest person back in 1996 has made a huge transformation by losing an astonishing 52 stone.
Mexican Juan Pedro Franco almost lost his life as he tipped the scales at 93 stone and 9lbs, but he has been losing weight ever since.
Juan started experiencing problems with his weight as a child, hitting 10 stone when he was just six years old.
An injury in his teens made matters worse and by 17 years old he'd grown to more than 36 stone.
By the time Juan broke the world record when he was 32, his weight had made him bed bound, requiring eight people to move him and forcing him to wear a nappy because he couldn't get to a toilet.
Inside quietest room in the world where no one can stay inside for over an hour
Juan had life-saving surgery (Discovery / Barcroft Productions)"My body just followed its own path without any control whatsoever," Juan told Guinness World Records.
"I tried to diet day after day, but nothing worked and I became desperate."
After a plea for help, an obesity specialist in Guadalajara, Mexico agreed to operate on Juan and left his bed for the first time to go for the life-changing surgery.
While in hospital he was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, hypertension and liquid in his lungs.
By 2017 he'd already lost 26 stone and 10lbs, which was enough for him to be allowed to undergo life-changing gastric band surgery.
He has a new fitness regime (AFP/Getty Images)After the surgery he went on to change his diet and exercise regime, and Juan continued to shed the pounds, dropping a third of his body weight by 2019.
In the last three years Juan had lost an incredible 52 stone and now weighs 41 stone.
Speaking about the transformation to Telemundo in Mexico, Juan 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."