First published 03 Jul 2012;
Tipping the scales at 45st, Sharon Mevsimler used to be Britain’s fattest woman.
After gorging on junk food for years, she had a NHS gastric bypass in 2009 but, tragically, she died of heart failure a year later.
Shockingly, after her death, Sharon’s son Emrah, then 16, revealed to Closer that she’d paid for him to have a gastric band aged 13 when he weighed 15st – double the average weight for his age.
He revealed he’d begged her for the op because he feared he’d end up like her and, after dropping to 10∂st aged 14, he claimed she’d saved his life.
But 5ft 7 Emrah, now 17, reveals he’s since gained 4st and insists his band’s faulty – despite admitting he still eats junk.
He says: “The band’s not working any more. I try to eat healthily – although I love crisps, prawn chow mein and doner kebabs. But I have small portions.
“I can’t stick to exercise, but I’m on my feet all day working with disabled kids. I thought my op was the answer, but now I fear I won’t be able to control my weight. I don’t want to suffer like Mum did.”
Emrah grew up with Sharon, dad Michael, 49, a chef, his twin sister, and older brother and sister, who are all average weights, in Chelmsford, Essex. He began gaining weight aged 10 and, by 12, he was 12st.
'I was bullied because of my size and comfort ate'
He says: “I was always hungry. I’d get up at 5am and have cereal and toast – before eating a second breakfast. I’d secretly spend my pocket money on sweets and chocolate. I was bullied because of my size and comfort ate. I talked to my doctor about my weight and was told to eat healthily, but he didn’t think I was that overweight.”
But, as he became more miserable, Emrah begged bedbound Sharon for a gastric band. He says: “Mum was reluctant, but she knew how miserable I was.”
The NHS wouldn’t give him the op, as he was just 13. At 5ft 5 and 15st, his BMI of 34 put him in the obese category, however, he wasn’t deemed at risk.
But, incredibly, despite Emrah’s age, Sharon paid £3,000 for him to have surgery in Belgium. He says: “At first, I could only have liquids, but then I introduced soup and mashed potatoes. A year later, I was 10∂st.”
But following Sharon’s death in July 2010, Emrah gained half a stone after comfort-eating crisps and cream cakes.
He says: “I knew the band could loosen if I overate, but eating was my way of coping.”
In December 2010, he started paying £100 every two months to have the band tightened privately – believing it would counter his weight gain. And, 18 months on, despite going up to 14∂st, he still has the bi-monthly procedure rather than dieting or exercising. He claims his weight gain is the result of a faulty band and slow metabolism.
'He's planning £3,000 liposuction on his stomach and legs'
Insisting his surgeon hasn’t offered dietary advice, he says: “I struggle to eat for two weeks after the band’s tightened so, when I do, my body is in starvation mode and holds on to fat. I do like biscuits and crisps, but I don’t eat big portions.”
Now Emrah, who lives with his dad, has a BMI of 31 and is classified obese. And he reveals he’s planning £3,000 liposuction on his stomach and legs. He says: “I’m disappointed in the band but, without it, I’d be bigger. I hope to lose 2st with lipo.”
Dr Sarah Jarvis says: “The only way you can gain weight with a gastric band is by taking in too many calories. Lipo’s a superficial quick fix. Emrah needs to stop eating so much and exercise.”
By Francine Anker