Mexican man, once the world’s fattest, dreams of walking again

"SAVING A LIFE"

Franco's skin is pale white from lack of exposure to the sun.

He spends his days knitting scarves and making sweets for his family to sell - his way of contributing to the household budget.

In his free time, he likes to sing and play guitar.

But a large part of his day is devoted to his exercises.

These include lifting weights, pulling resistance cords and pedaling his hand-cranked stationary bike.

"I'm very happy because everything is going very well," he told AFP from his bed, which is outfitted with a custom-built metal structure that enables him to lift himself to his feet.

"He's doing more exercise each day," said Castaneda, at his side.

"He is making an effort to stand up by himself, to get his life on track. He has a very positive attitude."

Franco's doctor Jose Antonio Castaneda (left) says he is happy with his patient's progress.

According to the clinic, a lot now depends on how well he progresses and how he responds to treatment for the lymphedema in his legs - accumulated fluid caused by the blockage of his lymphatic system.

"He remains a complex patient and will be at risk until he no longer suffers from extreme obesity," his medical team said in a statement.

"We are trying to save a life, and we will remain vigilant until he is out of danger."

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization, 58 per cent of people in Latin America and the Caribbean are overweight.

Mexico is one of the countries worst affected by the problem, along with the Bahamas and Chile.

Franco is not the only Mexican to have been the world's fattest man.

His compatriot Manuel Uribe claimed the title in 2007 after weighing in at 597kg. He later went on a diet that brought him down to 394kg.

Uribe got married in 2008, after being lifted to the ceremony by a crane.

He died in May 2014 at age 48.