Weighing 1, 200 pounds, Carol Ann Yager became the fattest woman in the world. When she died in 1994, Eman Ahmed Ab Del Aty took her place, weighing 1, 100 pounds. Shortly after her death last year, Mayra Lizbeth Rosales took the lead, but eventually, she lost the title when she went through a successful weight loss treatment.

Carol Yager, World Fattest Woman

1. Early life

Carol Ann Yager was born on January 26, 1960, in Flint, Michigan. At a tender age, she developed an eating disorder as a response to sexual abuse. Weighing over a thousand pounds, she quickly amassed media attention and was later invited to The Jerry Springer Show. She later admitted that there were other factors that contributed to her condition, aside from a traumatic childhood.

2. Health problems

Yager lived most of her life in and out of hospitals. She suffered a medley of obesity-related health problems, such as diabetes, edema, and heart and lung problems. Yager was unable to walk or even stand. Her muscles weren't strong enough to support her weight, which was mainly due to muscle wasting. For each hospital trip, more than 20 men were needed to convey her to the ambulance.

Eventually, Yager suffered immunodeficiency and cellulitis due to a bacterial infection. In January 1993, she was admitted to Hurley Medical Center weighing 1, 128 pounds. There, she was placed under a strict 1, 200-calorie liquid diet. After her three-month stay at the hospital, she was discharged weighing 521 pounds less. Yager moved back to her nursing home, where she was frequently visited by her family.

3. Death

Carol Ann Yager passed away on July 18, 1994, at the age of 34. By then she weighed 1, 200 pounds and was 5”7 inches tall. Cause of death was kidney failure with morbid obesity and multiple organ failure as contributing causes. Shortly after her death, Yager's boyfriend stated that she weighed 1, 600 pounds at some point in her life.

Eman Aty, Second Fattest Woman in the World

In September 2016, worldwide media reports circulated that an Egyptian woman took after Yager as the fattest woman in the world. Weighing 1, 100 pounds, Eman Ahmed Abd El Aty became the second heaviest woman ever recorded.

1. Early life

Eman Ahmed Abd El Aty was born on September 9, 1980, in Alexandria, Egypt. She weighed 11 pounds at birth and was later diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Unfortunately for her, she had to quit school. In late September 2016, Aty's sister reached out to Dr. Muffazal Lakdava for treatment. The doctor said yes immediately, and Aty flew to Worli, Mumbai, where the renowned bariatric surgeon was based.

2. Health problems

According to Dr. Lakdava's diagnosis, Aty had a severe case of uncontrolled hypothyroidism, right-sided heart, kidney, and liver failure, obstructive and restrictive lung disease, and right-sided paralysis. As is common with morbidly-obese patients, Aty also suffered from urinary tract infection and bed sores.

Dr. Lakdawa successfully performed bariatric surgery on Aty. She stayed several months at his hospital, where she lost almost half her weight. Her lung function, thyroid, and oxygen levels were also finally normal. However, Aty's sister desperately wanted her to be able to walk. Dr. Lakdawa stated it was unlikely since Aty had poor fibrous bone structure.

3. Death

Eventually, Aty and her family left Mumbai on ill terms with Dr. Lakdawa on May 4, 2017. She and her family flew to Abu Dhabi as Burjeel Hospital had made a tempting offer to make Aty walk again. However, she died four months later due to many complications, including heart and kidney dysfunctions.

Mayra Rosales, Former World's Fattest Woman

1. The Half-ton killer

An American-Mexican named Mayra Lizbeth Rosales rose to fame when she appeared in a TLC documentary in 2008. Rosales a.k.a. "The Half-Ton Killer” initially claimed that her massive weight had crushed her two-year-old nephew. Rosales knew in her heart that she was living a miserable life and hence, she owned up to the crime so her sister could continue to live on. However, medical practitioners found it hard to believe. First, Rosales was immobile, and second, her nephew's cause of death was due to a fatal head injury. Eventually, Rosales confessed that her sister murdered her own son with a hairbrush.

Rosales amassed intense media attention, both with the death of her nephew and her weight. At her heaviest, Rosales weighed 1, 036 pounds. At some point she was dubbed as the world's fattest woman alive. However, the thought of her sister's children motivated her to lose weight and get her life back so she can be their guardian.

2. Health problems

Rosales had thyroid problems that contributed to lymphedema, a condition that is caused by a buildup of lymph fluid that mostly affects the arms, legs, or both. Rosales was confined in her bed for several years as she was too heavy to move on her own. After her sister's arrest, she finally decided to seek medical treatment. At the time, it took 10 men to move her around from place to place.

3. Weight loss journey

Her doctor suggested she needed to lose 600 pounds for her to get the lap band surgery. Rosales was determined to turn a leaf. In fact, she was able to lose 100 pounds in just 10 days. Also, Rosales went through daily physical therapy so she can walk again.

Rosales now weighs 154 pounds from a shocking 1, 036 pounds. The former world's fattest woman was featured in several talk shows such as Sabado Gigante, Anderson Cooper, and Dr. Oz, where she shared her life story. She mentioned how eating a high-protein and low-carb diet greatly contributed to her weight loss.