Obesity: again

A man who once weighed nearly 70 stone is to launch legal action against the NHS, claiming they failed to help him as his size soared. Former postman Paul Mason received life-saving gastric surgery last year binge-eating his way to gargantuan size. But the 50-year-old, who now weighs in at a comparatively small 37 stone, said he should have been helped years ago. Mr Mason, who was eating 20,000 calories a day at his heaviest, claims he sought help from his GP after ballooning to 30 stone. Instead of receiving a treatment programme to manage his weight, he has complained he was told in 1996: 'Ride your bike more.'