Man weighing 36st refuses free £5k surgery on TV so he can 'promote obesity' instead

A 36st shopkeeper turned down the chance to feature in a Mexican version of the US reality series My 600-lb life, stating he wants to "promote obesity" instead.

Luis Delgado, who runs a plus-size clothing business named BigandFashion, believes participating in Kils Mortales would contradict his brand's ethos.

The programme, mirroring the TLC show in the US, documents the lives of extremely overweight individuals as they tackle their emotional and physical challenges, often through bariatric surgery.

Although the show doesn't offer cash payments to its stars, it does provide them with the necessary resources for change, including surgery, which costs about 110,000 Mexican pesos (approximately £4,800) in Mexico.

Luis explained that he was initially contacted about joining the show by a social media fan, but decided to decline the offer.

Explaining his decision, he said: "They offered me the operation, the psychologist, the assessment. But I couldn't continue with BigandFashion, I couldn't eat the same way or continue with my brand, or promote obesity, because they were doing the opposite; I didn't like that."

Luis was also worried about the production process, which involved camera crews descending on people's homes.

He told Mexico's El Heraldo: "They told me that they were going to get inside my home, my family, that they were going to be inside my house 24/7 for a long period of time, invading my privacy as well as that of my family, because my mother, my sister and my wife live there."

Despite the offer to feature him as the premiere episode of Kilos Mortales, Luis turned it down. He added: "The truth is that I didn't accept, even though they offered me to be the first episode of Kilos Mortales."

But instead of resorting to surgery, this store owner has chosen to steer his health in a new direction. Shedding an impressive 50kg (7.8st), he noted: "There are 50kg (7.8st) that I no longer have in my life, I weighed 285kg (44st) and today I weigh 230kg (36st), although some say that it is not noticeable."

Dr. Buenaventura Leal, a regular on the local version of the reality program, believes the show can stimulate massive consciousness change, stressing that obesity is more than just looking 'round' but is a ticking time bomb for various illnesses.

In his interview with El Sol De Mexico, the doctor underscored the severity of obesity. He explained: "Obviously survival is going to decrease a lot and quality of life will worsen. "

He also shared alarming statistics stating that while 70% of Mexicans are above their ideal weight limit, 30% sit in the realm of obesity. "It is something very important that we have to attack, but on the part of the entire society, of the government, of all Mexicans, this is the worst pandemic that exists," he emphasised.