The Great British Food Fight Gok Wan: Too Fat Too Young gallery

2. Drastic measures

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2. Drastic measures (Image 2 of 8)

15 year old Joe weighs 30 stone and is filled with fear just getting on the bus. "What is your reaction when people stare?" asks Gok. "Anger mostly," admits Joe. "But if I got into an argument with one person who looked at me I'd be arguing all the time."

Joe is considering surgery to lose his weight, convinced that for him, dieting doesn't work. "Everything hurts, I get back ache, leg ache. By the time you get home from school you feel like your limbs are going to explode," he tells Gok. But though the presenter is convinced of Joe's need for action he is unsure surgery is the best way to change things.

To find out more, Gok meets Maria, a 15 year old who has lost three stone in a year thanks to a gastric band. "What do you say to people who say, 'just eat a salad'?" asks Gok. "It's not that easy. There's much more behind it. If I hadn't had it done I wouldn't be here now," comes the stark reply.