World's fattest man who weighed 70 stone dies from pneumonia just eight months after successful weight loss surgery

The world's fattest man, who ballooned to 70 stone, has died at the age of 44.

Keith Martin, who died from pneumonia, had been bed-bound, unable to walk and at one point he never left his north London home for a decade.

Mr Martin admitted he knew he was killing himself by consuming 20,000 calories a day - almost 10 times the recommended amount for an adult.

He had six-egg fry-ups for breakfast then pizzas, kebabs, Chinese takeaways and Big Macs for lunch and dinner, all washed down with six pints of coffee and two litres of fizzy drinks.

But eight months ago he had three quarters of his stomach removed and lost half his body weight, only to succumb to pneumonia. 

Tragedy: Keith Martin, pictured in hospital ahead of surgery, whose weight rose to 70 stone and made him the world's fattest man, has died at the age of 44

Help: Mr Martin, from London, admitted he knew he was killing himself by consuming 20,000 calories a day - almost 10 times the recommended amount for an adult - leaving him unable to walk

Keith left behind his two sisters - Sharon and Tina - who cared for him for many years leading up to his death.

Speaking from the home they shared in Harlesden, north London, Tina said: 'We're still grieving. We miss him very much.'

Today the surgeon who removed three quarters of his stomach to help him lose weight has said the Government must bring in a fast-food tax.

Unwell: Mr Martin admitted he knew he was killing himself with his eating but had weightloss surgery to try to tackle the problem before he died

Kesava Mannur, who operated on Keith at Homerton Hospital last year, said anyone with a Body Mass Index rate of higher than 30, and type 2 diabetes, should be offered weight-loss surgery.

He said: 'The government needs to make unhealthy fast food more expensive - otherwise we'll continue to see more and more people like Keith.

'In his case, it's a shame because he'd had successful surgery despite being high-risk because of his size. It was unlucky he then caught pneumonia'

Sadly it was just eight months after Keith - who weighed 70 stone at his heaviest - had undergone a successful gastric sleeve which removed three-quarters of his stomach.

If he had lived he would have lost hundreds of pounds and regained his ability to walk and live a normal life, according to Mr Mannur supports new NHS guidelines which encourage doctors to suggest weight-loss surgery for anyone with aThat means up to 2 million people could be eligible - and if they all agreed to surgery it would cost the NHS £12billion.

In the wake of Chancellor George Osborne's tax reform revelations in this week's autumn statement, Mr Mannur said last night:

Before he died in March, unemployed Keith admitted much of the weight had come from eating huge amounts of super-cheap fast food. 

Poor diet: Mr Martin feasted on pizzas, kebabs, Chinese takeaways and Big Macs for lunch and dinner

Success: Mr Martin had managed to drop half his weight - from 70 stone to 35 stone -  but died of pneumonia 

Keith Martin attempts to lose weight in Channel 5 documentary

Keith's surgery was filmed for Channel 5 documentary 70 Stone & Almost Dead.

He said before the operation: 'I'd resigned myself that either I was going to die in my bed or I was going to kill myself. But now I think 'you stupid person'.

'I'm a lot more confident than I used to be. I feel a lot happier.

'In a few months' time I want to be up and walking

'I know the only person to blame is me. All those years wasted. I'm not going to waste anymore of it'.

Struggle: Keith became depressed after the death of his mother and 'ate to ease the pain', he said 

Having been stuck in his house for ten years and bedridden for several years due to his size, Keith was able to drop 25 stone in order to qualify for the surgery after switching to a 2,000 calorie a day diet.

But just a week after the procedure he discharged himself from the hospital, against doctors' orders, because he was homesick.

By October 2013 he was back in hospital with septic shock and dehydration. Two weeks later he contracted pneumonia.

Keith spent four months in hospital before he was released in February 2014, having been deemed medically fit. His weight had dropped to 39 stone

After being transported home he said: 'I feel great about surviving the operation.

'It gives me a chance now to go do some of the things I wanted to do - to get myself up and walking, take my dog Benji out for a walk.

'This is the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new chapter. Where it takes me I don't know, but it's going to be fun finding out.'

But just a month later he was dead.

Prior to the weight-loss surgery, Keith recorded a video message to his family in case he didn't survive.

He said: 'Hi guys, I just wanted to let you know that I love you guys and thanks for being there for me. You can tell the rest of the family I love them and thanks for the support. Take care of each other.'

Keith's weight ballooned after he became seriously depressed in his twenties.

He blamed blamed the bingeing on depression and anxiety which he developed after his mother died - also of pneumonia - when he was 16.

Keith, who used to spend his days playing video games and watching TV, explained in 2012: 'I started eating to ease the pain and before I knew it, I was binging every time something upset me.

'I've always been depressed. I am an agoraphobic - I'm afraid of public places - but it was never treated.

'I just want to be happy, without needing food to make me happy.'