Part of complete coverage on
Saudi King intervenes to help 1,345-pound man
By Victoria Brown, CNN
August 19, 2013 -- Updated 1715 GMT (0115 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Khalid bin Mohsen Shaari, who weighs 1,345 pounds (610kg) and is unable to move by himself
- King Abdullah ordered him to be transferred to the country's capital Riyadh to undergo treatment
- He will be treated at the King Fahd Medical City, and undergo a series of dietary and physical programs
(CNN) -- King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has intervened to help a man who has become one of the heaviest people in the world.
The king ordered Khalid bin Mohsen Shaari, who weighs 1,345 pounds (610kg) and is unable to move by himself, be transferred from the Southern border province of Jazan to the country's capital Riyadh to undergo treatment.
Read more: Dubai unveils golden reason to lose weight
According to Guinness World Records, the record weight for a living person is held by Manuel Uribe from Mexico, who weighed 1,235 pounds (560kg) in 2006. After making a television appeal for help, his weight in March 2012 had fallen to 980 pounds (444.6 kg.)
Khalid bin Mohsen Shaari weighs 1,345 pounds (610kg) and is unable to move by himself.
According to the official spokesman for Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health, Shaari was due to arrive in Riyadh either later Monday or on Tuesday. Pictures showed a fork-lift truck lifting him in is bed. The spokesman said Shaari is aged between 18 and 20.
He will be treated at the King Fahd Medical City, and undergo a series of dietary and physical programs in order to help him lose weight, the spokesman said. Although surgery is not scheduled at the moment, the Ministry of Health says it has not been ruled out. Special beds and trolleys have been made for him.
Read more: Kuwaitis fight fat with stomach stapling
This case highlights how obesity is a growing problem in the Gulf.
According to the U.N., Kuwait has the highest proportion of obese adults in the Middle East, with 42.8% of its population considered severely overweight. Saudi Arabia follows at 35.2%.
The growth of obesity in the region is also an economic concern. According to a report by Frost & Sullivan, healthcare spending across the Gulf will triple to $133.2 billion by 2018, mainly as a result of lifestyle diseases.
Part of complete coverage on
October 6, 2013 -- Updated 1036 GMT (1836 HKT)
In two raids, U.S. special operations forces capture a suspected terrorist operative and also target an Al-Shabaab leader, officials say.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 1518 GMT (2318 HKT)
The first phone-call between U.S. and Iranian presidents raised hopes of a new start -- but could Iran's Revolutionary Guards spoil the party?
October 3, 2013 -- Updated 1804 GMT (0204 HKT)
Violence in Syria has left millions displaced. And while many Syrians have fled across the border to escape, others remain in harm's way.
October 2, 2013 -- Updated 0822 GMT (1622 HKT)
Iraq's violence is growing. The world seems oblivious but with unrest spreading though the region, this is why you should not ignore it.
October 5, 2013 -- Updated 1510 GMT (2310 HKT)
The FBI says it has caught the shadowy creator of the Internet's infamous criminal marketplace, the mysterius "Dread Pirate Roberts."
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 1523 GMT (2323 HKT)
For the past two years, she's been a pocket accessory to millions of Americans. Meet the woman who says she is the voice of Siri.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 1021 GMT (1821 HKT)
Qatar businesses expect to take a hit if the 2022 World Cup is moved. CNN's John Defterios explains.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 0707 GMT (1507 HKT)
The show is less traditional puppet theater and more a Balinese Baz Luhrmann-style "spectacular" with a cast of hundreds, including dancers.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 1100 GMT (1900 HKT)
Like screaming fans at a gig, a young generation of Japanese have found a new obsession: horse racing -- a new rival to baseball and football.
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 0024 GMT (0824 HKT)
China issues an illustrated 64-page "Guidebook for Civilized Tourism" to instruct Chinese citizens on social norms overseas.
Explore CNN's Formula One interactive as the world's best drivers head to South Korea for round 14 of the world championship.
October 3, 2013 -- Updated 1047 GMT (1847 HKT)
It is an age-old question: will humankind ever defeat old age? The multinational tech giant Google would like us to think it might be possible too.
October 6, 2013 -- Updated 1543 GMT (2343 HKT)
Graphene -- at one atom thick, it is the thinnest material ever discovered. CNN speaks to its inventor and Nobel laureate Kostya Novoselow.
October 2, 2013 -- Updated 1308 GMT (2108 HKT)
She was dubbed "The Assassin" after winning gold in London. But Kaori Matsumoto prefers to be known as "Beast."
October 3, 2013 -- Updated 1328 GMT (2128 HKT)
The common doodle has long been frowned upon in business meetings. But now researchers say it aids concentration.
Today's five most popular stories
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|