Around the World in 80 Weighs: Obese Britons decide they’re not so big after all as they visit Tonga where they’re overwhelmed by the portions sizes and even advise a 300kg woman to ‘check’ her diet

A group of obese Britons are travelling the globe to learn the weight loss secrets from other cultures, but it seems a visit to Tonga might have been counterproductive. 

The latest episode of Channel 4’s Around the World in 80 Weighs, which airs tonight, sees six overweight Britons visit the Polynesian kingdom of Tonga. 

During their visit to Japan last week, seen in last week’s show, they were pointed at inthe streets, but Tonga is one of the most fattest nations on earth, with 93 per cent of the population overweight and plagued by obesity-related diseases like diabetes.

While in Japan – where only 4 per cent of the population are obese – they joined office workout sessions, in Tonga the group were treated to a meal of cream cheese and whole-roasted pig in the home of 300kg Winnegate Vaeila.

It led participant Therryi-Jay, 32, to comment that she was ‘proud’ of herself and even advised Winnie to ‘check’ her diet.

After consuming one ‘mutton flap’ and resisting the urge to eat another portion of potato salad that ‘banged’, Therryi turned to the host with a piece of advice. 

She said: ‘If this is what you’re eating all the time, then yeah that’s a lot.

‘I think that’s something – I think Winnie you’ve got to check that baby.

‘Please see us as an example of what you can achieve because nobody wants you to die, you know’.

After delivering her speech, the group became sullen and emotional as they reflected on the unhealthy eating habits that Winnie has grown accustomed to.

Winnie, 28, a married social worker with children, said: ‘We grew up eating like this so we have already adapted to the idea of eating this type of portion.

‘Our stomach already needs that amount of portion to fill us.’

The screen showed a giant table bearing humongous metal trays of mutton flaps, fried turkey tails, corned beef, potato salad, fried chicken and cream cheese and a whole roasted pig.

Russell, 36, revealed he was ‘staggered’ by the amount and even asked Winnie to slow down when dishing his pork – adding: ‘that’s plenty’.

Meanwhile his wife Marisa, 31 – who is looking to lose weight so she can have children – said she was ‘overwhelmed’ by the prepared meal and found it ‘hard’ to deal with.

So bewildered was Marisa, she asked: ‘So is this like a normal-sized portion for this many people or would Tongan people normally have more?’.

She was shocked to discover that this was just a glimpse of what Winnie ate, who responded: ‘more’.

However elsewhere in the episode, another host Ofeina Filimoehala did her best to promote healthier eating choices.

The CEO of government health body Tongan Health, warned the tourists to learn from the struggles of her fellow citizens.

She explained: ‘Obesity is a real problem in Tonga. If you see people that play rugby and if you see our beauty contests – they are overweight.

‘They’ve got a Tongan body. That’s what our people refer to as a Tongan body. But my job is to change that.

‘The life expectancy of Tongans has reduced… Tonga is one of the most unhealthy countries in the world. We rank the heaviest in the world’ she concluded.

After the group were shown to the huge holiday mansion with larger-than-life size beds, Ofeina treated them to a local healthy dish, called ota ika.

Ofeina’s version used raw tuna, fresh coconut cream and vegetables. She explained that locals were kept trim on the delicacy until the importation of processed and junk foods caused a surge in weight gain.

While the clan enjoyed its taste, Therryi-Jay branded the portion size ‘crazy’ and hoped there would be much more of it for lunch.

This week’s episode could be viewed as counterproductive for the cast as while they discovered the healthy ota ika, they have also labelled themselves as a shining example to other obese people like Winnie.

Around the World in 80 Weighs follows six people from across Britain who are each living with obesity as they travel across continents to learn about the obesity crisis in different countries.

 

At the end of each leg of their journey they are weighed together on a giant scale, to see if their hard work – and the shocking things they’ve seen – have helped them achieve their goals.

The contestants set out to discover the implications of their own health and to meet people in each country who might be able to help them lead healthier lives and lose weight along the way. 

It comes as the group were brought to tears after meeting a 27-year-old woman in Tonga who had both legs amputated after developing diabetes. 

Leaving Japan behind, this week the tourists travel to Tonga to meet a young woman who has lost both her legs. 

There they meet Ofeina, who is battling to turn around the island nation’s extreme obesity crisis, and Winnie, who, at only 28 years of age, is 47 stone.

Winnie takes the group to the local diabetes clinic, where they meet a young woman who, at the age of 27, has lost both of her legs.

One of the group, Tiffany, is visibly moved by the experience.

‘I’m a bit speechless to be honest,’ she says to camera.

‘She’s only 27, that’s only two years [older] than me,’ the NHS waste coordinator added.

‘And she has no legs’.

‘I’m just so shocked, it’s hard to put it into words.

‘I would be mortified and horrified if I had to have both legs amputated’

The woman’s doctor explained that she had been worried to come to the doctor, after cutting her leg.

But the wounds developed into sepsis, eventually leading to her needing an amputation.

Another of the group, Russell adds: ‘My father also passed away and it’s his anniversary in a couple of weeks and he had diabetes and things like that. It’s horrible. It’s like the worst feeling to lose a parent.’

Marisa, 31, added: ‘I’m just so shocked, it’s actually quite hard to put it into words. Like I’d be absolutely mortified and horrified if I had to have both of my legs amputated.’

‘I’m personally glad that I’ve seen this. I feel like this is so brutally honest.

‘Diabetes, it isn’t a game, it isn’t something that you can just brush under the carpet. I need to stop any sugar.

‘If I left it for another couple of years, I think I could end up the same with diabetes and I just think, ‘”Just don’t waste your time. Life is so short, just don’t waste time. You need to sort yourself out now.’

‘I know we have talked quite a lot about like death and dying and everything, but that is literally like the brutal truth, isn’t it, if we don’t change how we are.’

Around The World In 80 Weighs airs Tuesdays at 9pm on Channel 4