Barry Austin

Barry 'Five bellies' Austin is the UK's heaviest manFact|date=July 2008, weighing a reported 50 stone (around 700 lbs or 320 kg).

Austin's appearances in the press and on television are usually related to current concerns about an alarming increase in obesity among the population. He has thus been asked to comment on news and current affairs strands such as the BBC's Breakfast News.Fact|date=July 2008 Austin has also been the star of a Sky One documentary, "Inside Britain's Fattest Man", presented by Richard Hammond in the manner of the science fiction film "Fantastic Voyage". According to the programme, Austin typically consumed in excess of 29,000 calories a day – over ten times the average daily intake for a UK male, and has major health problems as a result of his morbid obesity. He also claimed to drink up to 40 pints on a night out. A previous documentary on Britain's heaviest men – which saw Austin take the crown, though he was notably lighter and more mobile at the time, reported that he led an actively social life and was something of a celebrity on the Birmingham club circuit, and a very visible supporter of Birmingham City F.C. at their home games.

In February 2001, Barry gave up going to Birmingham City's Football League Cup final appearance at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, as he would have occupied three seats at the stadium. At this time, he weighed around 35 stone.Fact|date=July 2008

According to both documentaries, Barry's greatest problem is his legs (which have notably reduced his mobility in the latter programme). Starved of blood because of their enormous size and distance from his heart, they cause him to suffer regular terrible bacterial infections that leave him swollen and in agony, immobile at home. In September 2005, Austin committed himself to losing weight, restricting his daily intake to a mere 1,500 calories in a bid to save his life. Barry goes out 10 pin bowling with his girlfriend Debs as a part of his bid to lose weight.Fact|date=July 2008

Barry has also had regular columns in Nuts (magazine) in which readers will ask him about his opinions on current events. However, he always did not care about the situation in question, and related his answer back to food! [ [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1572754,00.html Why 50-stone Barry seized a chance of life | UK News | The Observer ] ]

References