Renee Williams (person)
Encyclopedia
Renee Williams was an American
woman believed to be the fattest woman in the world at the time of her death in 2007 from complications following her surgery for morbid obesity
. Williams was also one of the heaviest people to ever live.
By the age of 12, Renee was already in the category of super-morbid obesity, which refers to a body mass index
over 50. She married at 15 years old, and became a mother at age 16. After a car crash in 2003 she became unable to walk, and added another 420 lb to her then 460 lb frame inside 4 years. She was bedridden and ate large amounts of food. Renee's daughter attests that both before and after her accident, it was a common occurrence for Renee to keep eating until her stomach hurt, with reports of her eating up to eight burgers
at a time. Renee had a gastric bypass at age 29, when her weight was 880 lb, after a reported twelve-year wait because she did not meet the demands of any surgeon to lose a percentage of her body fat by dieting before they would consider her for surgery. Instead, she continued to gain at least 80 lb each year. She was eventually given the surgery after doctors determined she had less than a year to live at her weight; her operation was performed on a specially widened operating table. However, she died 12 days later from a massive heart attack. This has led to many debates on internet forums as to whether or not she should have been medically cleared to have the gastric bypass performed in the first place.
Renee was featured in the American television program Amazing Medical Stories:
She was also the subject of a British
television program called "Half Ton Mum" broadcast on Channel 4
after her death as part of the BodyShock
series. The program stated that she also held the world record
for being the heaviest person ever to have gastric bypass surgery
on her stomach at 63 stone, or around 880 lb. When Renee went to the hospital for her gastric bypass, her Body Mass Index was calculated by the doctors to be 113 kg/m², where a BMI of 50+ is considered "super-morbidly obese". She was treated by the same medical team as Kenneth Brumley
, subject of the counterpart documentary "Half Ton Dad".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
woman believed to be the fattest woman in the world at the time of her death in 2007 from complications following her surgery for morbid obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
. Williams was also one of the heaviest people to ever live.
By the age of 12, Renee was already in the category of super-morbid obesity, which refers to a body mass index
Body mass index
The body mass index , or Quetelet index, is a heuristic proxy for human body fat based on an individual's weight and height. BMI does not actually measure the percentage of body fat. It was invented between 1830 and 1850 by the Belgian polymath Adolphe Quetelet during the course of developing...
over 50. She married at 15 years old, and became a mother at age 16. After a car crash in 2003 she became unable to walk, and added another 420 lb to her then 460 lb frame inside 4 years. She was bedridden and ate large amounts of food. Renee's daughter attests that both before and after her accident, it was a common occurrence for Renee to keep eating until her stomach hurt, with reports of her eating up to eight burgers
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
at a time. Renee had a gastric bypass at age 29, when her weight was 880 lb, after a reported twelve-year wait because she did not meet the demands of any surgeon to lose a percentage of her body fat by dieting before they would consider her for surgery. Instead, she continued to gain at least 80 lb each year. She was eventually given the surgery after doctors determined she had less than a year to live at her weight; her operation was performed on a specially widened operating table. However, she died 12 days later from a massive heart attack. This has led to many debates on internet forums as to whether or not she should have been medically cleared to have the gastric bypass performed in the first place.
Renee was featured in the American television program Amazing Medical Stories:
At 406kg, 29-year-old Renee Williams is the world's biggest woman. Confined to her bed, Renee begged doctors to perform an operation when she became so large that she couldn't hug her own children. She's waited 12 years for the gastric bypass surgery to help her get back on her feet... but it may just be too late.
She was also the subject of a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television program called "Half Ton Mum" broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
after her death as part of the BodyShock
BodyShock
BodyShock is a sensationalistic documentary series about the conditions or lives of extraordinary people. It was originally produced by redback for Channel 4 in the UK, but since September 2006, it has been carried by ArkMedia....
series. The program stated that she also held the world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
for being the heaviest person ever to have gastric bypass surgery
Gastric bypass surgery
Gastric bypass procedures are any of a group of similar operations that first divides the stomach into a small upper pouch and a much larger lower "remnant" pouch and then re-arranges the small intestine to allow both pouches to stay connected to it. Surgeons have developed several different ways...
on her stomach at 63 stone, or around 880 lb. When Renee went to the hospital for her gastric bypass, her Body Mass Index was calculated by the doctors to be 113 kg/m², where a BMI of 50+ is considered "super-morbidly obese". She was treated by the same medical team as Kenneth Brumley
Kenneth Brumley
Kenneth Brumley was one of the heaviest people ever recorded, whose weight was confirmed. He was featured on the Channel 4 BodyShock documentary "Half Ton Dad", as a father of four, who weighed almost 1,035 pounds ....
, subject of the counterpart documentary "Half Ton Dad".
See also
- List of the heaviest people