Khalid Bin Mohsen Shaari, former world’s heaviest man, now weighs 63kg

We often encounter weight loss stories, but this is a remarkable show of significant change.

Once the heaviest man, weighing 610 kilograms, Khalid Bin Mohsen Shaari took on the journey to lose weight and has lost a whopping 542 kilograms through the help of Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, from 1 August 2005 until he died in 2015.

In August 2013, Shaari, a Saudi Arabian, was declared the heaviest person at 610 kg (1,345 lbs), attracting global attention. He was bedridden for three years and received medical care for free, courtesy of the king’s intervention.

In August 2013, Arabnews.com reported that Shaari had suffered from this disease since the age of 5 and could not walk and used a wheelchair for movement.

Shaari’s medical condition caught King Abdullah’s attention in 2013. It prompted Abdullah to organise a team of 30 medical professionals to tend to his case. With the help of a forklift and a specially designed bed, Shaari was transported from his home to King Fahd Medical City for holistic medical treatment.

Now, 10 years later, Shari, who once weighed an unbelievable 610 kg, has shed a staggering 542 kg.

Weight loss process

His treatment plan included a tailored dieting plan, a rigorous exercise regimen and gastric bypass surgery.

For the initial six months, the 33-year-old was out through intensive care and extensive physiotherapy. This helped him lose nearly half of his body weight.

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In 2023, his weight had dropped to 63.5 kilograms. However, multiple surgeries significantly removed the excessive skin because of his weight loss.

Shaari used to need the help of friends and family to gain mobility. Now, that story has changed completely, as his transformation has led to him living an extraordinary life.

“The smiling man” is how he is now known, a nickname given to him by the medical staff who supported him through his journey.

Shaari’s story is standout proof of the impact of dedicated medical care and the unimaginable transformation that can occur with proper intervention and support.