MUM-OF-TWO Alice Young tucks her twins up in bed, turns off the light and scurries downstairs – now they’re in bed, she’s free to sit on the sofa and scoff all her favourite fatty foods in secret.
Weighing in at 35 stone and a size 32, the 34-year-old mum of twins is classified as super morbidly obese – and it’s not surprising given that every night when the kids are asleep she gorges on cheese and Snickers milkshakes.
Despite knowing she is eating herself into an early grave and may not see her children grow up, Alice says she can’t control her deadly snacking habit.
She consumes 4,000 calories a day – that’s double the daily recommended amount for a woman her age – and 2,000 of these are consumed in secret at night.
The issue is so bad, Alice – who at her heaviest weighed 38 stone- has even made her own funeral arrangements, knowing the health issues she has as a result of her size could kill her.
Disturbingly, the UK is the fattest country in Western Europe, and 30,000 people every year in the UK die as a result of obesity, with people suffering with obesity life expectancy reduced by up to 20 years.
Speaking to The Sun Online ahead of 5Star documentary Eating Ourselves To Death, which airs tonight, Alice says: “I’ve planned my own funeral because of my health issues – I’ve written my will and my mum knows exactly what funeral songs I’d like.
“I’m hopeful I’ll see 40 but it all depends on what changes I make to my life.
“I don’t want to be this size. I constantly have to prepare myself mentally for what’s going to happen when I’m not here. Part of me feels upset doing this, but I’m thinking practically. I’m scared about the future.”
Alice, who lives with partner of eight years Mark Frankish, 42, and their twin kids Dylan and Grace, six, in Newark-upon-Trent, ensures the children eat healthily, and is determined they don’t follow in her footsteps.
But she admits her main issue is secret snacking in the evenings.
She says: “I tend to eat my snacks when the kids aren’t around because I don’t want them to see it. It’s sort of my secret.
“I don’t think anyone should have to live like this. I feel imprisoned by food. I feel like it’s got a control over me that I can’t seem to get out of.
“I’d eat a balanced meal with the children in the evening of chicken and veg. But then when they’d gone to bed I’d eat leftovers or another dinner, and binge on snacks.
“I’d eat a big bag of crisps, a whole packet of biscuits with cheese, a big bar of chocolate. I found comfort in food.”
Obesity has been a problem for Alice since childhood, and she was bullied at school.
She says: “I’ve always been big. I don’t remember ever being an average size, and I’ve tried every diet going. Kids used to flick matches at me… spit at me, sing songs at me.
“I used to spend my pocket money on cream cakes and chocolate and sweets. I remember hiding food. Taking food from the cupboard and sticking it down the side of the bed.”
By the time Alice was 15, she weighed 18 stone and was a size 22 – and she’s determined her kids won’t follow her example.
Alice – who miraculously had a healthy pregnancy- adds: “I don’t want my own kids to go down that route – I want them to have a happy school experience.”
For Alice, the effects of obesity on her life are endless. She says: “My body isn’t doing the things it should at my age. I should be able to be running around with my kids, enjoying time out and about but it’s an impossibility.”
“Before the kids I always worked in pubs and bars, but I would struggle with work now.
“Things like walking, standing for long periods of time and the stress it puts on my joints – Mark has to do a lot of things for me. I struggle to walk up the stairs.
“If I don’t make positive changes in my life and lose weight then I probably won’t get to see them growing up, having kids. It does break my heart. I know it’s do or die.”
Speaking on the show, her partner Mark says: “I don’t want to see her go. It’s heartbreaking really. She’s got to the point where she’s given up.”
Speaking to Alice in a desperate bid to try and make her change her life, Alice’s mum Jane adds:“Do you want to see your children go to secondary school? Or Grace wear a white wedding dress? It’s not going to happen if you carry on how you are.”
Alice is given an ultimatum by partner Mark, and goes to see a doctor on the show.
He advises her to make small changes to improve her lifestyle – specifically giving up snacking.
She says: “I had completely given up at one point. I felt my fate was just to die.
“It’s difficult for me to weigh myself as a lot of the scales don’t go up to my weight, but I’ve given up the crisps and chocolate and I’m feeling better.
“Now, I can sort of see a light at the end of the tunnel.
“I’ve realised that not only am I putting my life in danger- it’s never crossed my mind that by doing that ultimately it’s going to put the kids in danger.”
Also sharing his story on the show is 27-year-old Darren ‘Dibsy’ McMclintock, from Middlesbrough.
At his heaviest he weighed 40 stone 3lb, consuming 11,000 calories a day. He was banned from every takeaway in his hometown.
He explains: “My normal daily food intake was ridiculous. I’d get up and eat two sausage sandwiches, tea and biscuits, a sandwich or a pasty or a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar, a bottle of pop. I’d just eat every couple of hours.”
Every night Darren would eat a dinner, then go and get a takeaway – and his unhealthy diet put enormous strain on his heart.
However, he has taken positive steps since losing 14st, and had a lifesaving heart operation, enlisting the help of personal trainer Mick to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Alex, from Falkirk, also shares his story on the show.
His issues with weight stemmed from the childhood trauma of being sexually abused at the age of eight, and at his heaviest he weighed 35 st.
He says: “After the abuse I started eating a lot. I felt it was the only thing to do – to make myself look ugly.
“Mobility wise I can’t walk that far. I get really out of breath. I have a lot of back ache and a lot of joint problems as well and that is down to too much weight. I live on the second floor. It really takes it out of me going up the stairs to come up here.”
Now, his health problems are endless, and he takes 11 different types of medication daily for problems including diabetes and stomach issues.
However, the show sees him address his food addiction with the help of ex-boyfriend Ben, who encourages Alex to assess his lifestyle.
Watch Eating Ourselves To Death Monday 24 June, 9pm on 5STAR.
