The Sun carries a sad story of a poor fellow who has reached 70 stones in weight

The Sun carries a sad story of a poor fellow who has reached 70 stones in weight and is "now almost immobile" and for whom extraordinary measures need to be taken to transport him to a clinic where it is hoped he will receive life-saving treatment. What a tragedy and how shameful it is that the NHS and other health bodies have never yet told people the truth about the causes of obesity and the best ways to reduce the fluid retention that causes it.

The most likely cause in this case is that this man was prescribed medication years ago that has the side-effect of causing salt sensitivity/fluid retention/sodium retention/oedema/morbid obesity - there are many expressions for the problem. Prescription drugs like certains steroids, antidepressants and antipsychotics are a major cause of morbid obesity in adults. What he should have been told was to avoid salt and salty food while he was taking the medication. This would have prevented the massive fluid retention and the terrible suffering, mental, physical, emotional and financial, that he has had to endure. Even now they could give him a diuretic to reduce the fluid retention (that's what jockeys take to lose water weight before a race) but I doubt anyone will have the sense to do so.

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, heart attack, vascular dementia, stroke, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver damage and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs, hunger or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better! See my website www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk