Donna Simpson (internet personality)
Encyclopedia
Donna Simpson is an American woman who in 2008 expressed a desire to become one of the world's heaviest women. She wished to attain a target weight of 1000 pounds (453.6 kg). As of June 2010, Simpson weighed 602 pounds (273.1 kg), down from her weight of 630 pounds (285.8 kg) in 2008. Simpson maintained a website where fans paid to watch her eat. In 2010, she won the Guinness World Records
for the "Heaviest woman to give birth".
, just outside Akron
, the youngest of four children. When she was a child, her mother made big meals for her and her family. At age 9, she weighed 184 pounds (83.5 kg). At school, she was bullied and nicknamed "fatty four-eyes". After her mother died, her father remarried. When she was 11, her stepmother put her on a diet and took her to a doctor, who prescribed diet pills. Instead of dieting, Simpson stole food from the cupboards. She tried taking diet pills during her teenage years to lose weight. By the time she was 18, she had slimmed down to 154 pounds (69.9 kg). Ultimately, she decided she did not want to be thin. She graduated from Springfield High School
in 1986.
In 2006, she met Phillippe Gouamba in an online chat room for overweight women. Gouamba said: "I’ve always been attracted to big women, but Donna is my fantasy. The more she weighs, the sexier she is." They planned to get married in a ceremony at dawn on a mountain in Maui. They separated in 2011.
In February 2007, Simpson gave birth to a baby named Jacqueline via cesarean section. Her birth required a team of 30 doctors. She became the heaviest woman ever to give birth. At the time she weighed 532 pounds (241.3 kg). Six months after giving birth, she decided that her target weight would be 1,000 pounds (454 kg). However, during her pregnancy, she developed diabetes and high blood pressure. Gouamba said that he supports this goal: "Gaining weight makes Donna happy and seeing her happy makes me happy." He is one of her biggest supporters in her journey to reach 1,000 pounds.
As of 2010, Simpson weighed 602 pounds. Her BMI
is 103.9.
She has a son and a daughter.
, and she can eat 70 pieces of sushi in one sitting.
To attain her goal of a 1,000 pound bodyweight, she has limited her movement.
Dr. Carla Wolper, a registered dietitian research faculty member at the New York Obesity Research Center, criticized Simpson's eating habits, saying they are self-destructive and New Jersey taxpayers will end up footing her health bills.
In late 2010, Simpson ate a 30,000 calorie Christmas dinner consisting of "two 11kg (25lb) turkeys, two maple-glazed hams, 6.8kg (15lbs) of potatoes - 4.5kg (10lbs) roast, 2.3kg (5lbs) mashed, five loaves of bread, 2.3kg of herb stuffing, three litres of gravy, three litres of cranberry dressing and an astonishing 9kg (20lbs) of vegetables", and the dessert consisted of "a 'salad' made of marshmallow, cream cheese, whipped cream and cookies." The dinner reportedly took Simpson two hours to consume.
She received a book deal and a reality TV show offer.
She also receives hate mail.
She is also eager to stamp out negative stereotypes regarding obese individuals. She is an advocate for the fat acceptance movement
and has ridiculed "people who feel guilty about eating" as "hilarious".
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
for the "Heaviest woman to give birth".
Early life
Donna Simpson grew up in Mogadore, OhioMogadore, Ohio
Mogadore is a village in Portage and Summit counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is a suburb of Akron and is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, just outside Akron
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
, the youngest of four children. When she was a child, her mother made big meals for her and her family. At age 9, she weighed 184 pounds (83.5 kg). At school, she was bullied and nicknamed "fatty four-eyes". After her mother died, her father remarried. When she was 11, her stepmother put her on a diet and took her to a doctor, who prescribed diet pills. Instead of dieting, Simpson stole food from the cupboards. She tried taking diet pills during her teenage years to lose weight. By the time she was 18, she had slimmed down to 154 pounds (69.9 kg). Ultimately, she decided she did not want to be thin. She graduated from Springfield High School
Springfield High School (Akron, Ohio)
Springfield High School, often referred to as Akron Springfield, is a public high school in Lakemore, Ohio, United States, just east of Akron...
in 1986.
Personal life
When she was 19, she met Robert Simpson, a chef at a steak restaurant. They married five years later. He encouraged her to eat by bringing leftovers home from work for her; Simpson said "he liked me supersized". They had a child together and subsequently divorced. At around this time, her father was upset by her weight and encouraged her to go on a diet; she lost 70 pounds (31.8 kg) in six months.In 2006, she met Phillippe Gouamba in an online chat room for overweight women. Gouamba said: "I’ve always been attracted to big women, but Donna is my fantasy. The more she weighs, the sexier she is." They planned to get married in a ceremony at dawn on a mountain in Maui. They separated in 2011.
In February 2007, Simpson gave birth to a baby named Jacqueline via cesarean section. Her birth required a team of 30 doctors. She became the heaviest woman ever to give birth. At the time she weighed 532 pounds (241.3 kg). Six months after giving birth, she decided that her target weight would be 1,000 pounds (454 kg). However, during her pregnancy, she developed diabetes and high blood pressure. Gouamba said that he supports this goal: "Gaining weight makes Donna happy and seeing her happy makes me happy." He is one of her biggest supporters in her journey to reach 1,000 pounds.
As of 2010, Simpson weighed 602 pounds. Her BMI
Body mass index
The body mass index , or Quetelet index, is a heuristic proxy for human body fat based on an individual's weight and height. BMI does not actually measure the percentage of body fat. It was invented between 1830 and 1850 by the Belgian polymath Adolphe Quetelet during the course of developing...
is 103.9.
She has a son and a daughter.
Eating habits
Simpson says her food costs US$582-750 per week. She eats 12,000 calories per day. "In a typical day I’ll eat four burgers and fries, a loaf of bread with peanut butter and jam, four servings of meatloaf and mashed potato, a large pizza, a chocolate cake with ice cream and cream, 12 cupcakes, two cheesecakes and fizzy drinks." Her favorite food is sushiSushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, and she can eat 70 pieces of sushi in one sitting.
To attain her goal of a 1,000 pound bodyweight, she has limited her movement.
Dr. Carla Wolper, a registered dietitian research faculty member at the New York Obesity Research Center, criticized Simpson's eating habits, saying they are self-destructive and New Jersey taxpayers will end up footing her health bills.
In late 2010, Simpson ate a 30,000 calorie Christmas dinner consisting of "two 11kg (25lb) turkeys, two maple-glazed hams, 6.8kg (15lbs) of potatoes - 4.5kg (10lbs) roast, 2.3kg (5lbs) mashed, five loaves of bread, 2.3kg of herb stuffing, three litres of gravy, three litres of cranberry dressing and an astonishing 9kg (20lbs) of vegetables", and the dessert consisted of "a 'salad' made of marshmallow, cream cheese, whipped cream and cookies." The dinner reportedly took Simpson two hours to consume.
Internet personality
In November 2007 Simpson launched a website. Subscribers can access photos of her body and videos of her eating and measuring her waistline. As of October 2008, she had 260 subscribers, who ranged in age from 20 to 68. She produces YouTube videos. Many fans subscribe to her videos. She also goes to fat fetish websites and shows off her eating habits. Thousands of her fans flock to her sites. Some send her food.She received a book deal and a reality TV show offer.
She also receives hate mail.
She is also eager to stamp out negative stereotypes regarding obese individuals. She is an advocate for the fat acceptance movement
Fat acceptance movement
The fat acceptance movement is an effort to change societal attitudes towards fat, obese, and overweight people.- Background :...
and has ridiculed "people who feel guilty about eating" as "hilarious".