Angus Barbieri's fast
Angus Barbieri (1938 or 1939 – 7 September 1990) was a Scottish man who fasted for 382 days,[1] from 14 June 1965 to 30 June 1966. He subsisted on tea, coffee, sparkling water, and vitamins while living at home in Tayport, Scotland and frequently visiting Maryfield Hospital for medical evaluation. He lost 276 pounds (125 kg) and set a record for the length of a fast.[2]
Early life
[edit]Agostino “Angus” Barbieri was born in Tayport, Scotland to Italian parents who ran a fish and chip shop. Due to his enormous physique he required assistance with ordinary endeavors. When Barbieri traveled to the 1960–61 British Home Championship at Wembley Stadium in April 1961, he needed a group of people to push and pull him through the door of the bus. Unable to fit through a turnstile at the stadium, Barbieri was escorted through a gate by a police guard, and many other fans without tickets reportedly hopped the police lines to enter the stadium while the police were occupied.[3]
The fast
[edit]In 1965, at the age of 27, Barbieri checked into the Maryfield Hospital in Dundee. Initially only a short fast was planned, due to the doctors believing that short fasts were preferable to longer ones. Barbieri insisted on continuing because "he adapted so well and was eager to reach his 'ideal' weight".[2]: 203 To avoid temptation, he quit working at his father's fish and chips shop, which closed down during the fast. As the fast progressed, he lost all desire for food.[4] For 382 days, from 14 June 1965 through 30 June 1966, he consumed only vitamins, electrolytes, an unspecified amount of yeast (a source of all essential amino acids) and zero-calorie beverages such as tea, coffee, and sparkling water, although he occasionally added milk and/or sugar to the beverages, especially during the final weeks of the fast.
Barbieri began his treatment in the hospital but for most of the 382 days lived at home, visiting the hospital for outpatient checkups, including blood and urine samples. Stool samples were not taken but he reportedly went up to 48 days between stools.[3] His starting weight was recorded at 456 pounds (207 kg) and the fast officially stopped on 1 July 1966 when Barbieri had reached his goal weight of 180 pounds (82 kg).[2]: 204 For the next ten days, the doctors placed him on a diet of salt and then sugar in preparation for solid food. Thus, some sources record the fast as being 392 days instead of 382. Barbieri had his first solid meal on 11 July 1966: a boiled egg and a slice of buttered bread.[4] He said "I have forgotten what food tasted like ... I thoroughly enjoyed it".[3]
Record
[edit]In the 1971 edition of The Guinness Book of Records, Barbieri's 382-day fast was recognized as the longest recorded.[1] As of 2024[update], Barbieri retains the record for the longest fast without solid food. Guinness does not actively encourage records relating to fasting for fear of encouraging unsafe behaviour.[1][5]
Follow-up
[edit]Doctors were amazed by Barbieri's ability to resist temptation to eat without having to stay in the hospital. He celebrated his achievement by going on a vacation in Spain for three weeks,[3] and a 1973 study found that Barbieri maintained a healthy weight of 196 pounds (89 kg).[2]: 204 concluding that "prolonged fasting in this patient had no ill-effects". He moved to Warwick, married a woman named Mary, and had two sons. Barbieri died in September 1990 after a short illness.[3]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Brady, Jon (12 November 2016). "The tale of Angus Barbieri who fasted for more than a year – and lost 21 stone". The Courier/Evening Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 October 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ a b c d Stewart, W. K.; Fleming, Laura W. (1 March 1973). "Features of a successful therapeutic fast of 382 days' duration". Postgraduate Medical Journal. 49 (569). Oxford University Press (OUP): 203–209. doi:10.1136/pgmj.49.569.203. ISSN 0032-5473. PMC 2495396. PMID 4803438.
- ^ a b c d e Strachan, Graeme (9 March 2024). "Fifer Angus Barbieri hit 32st in 1965 – what happened next made global headlines". The Courier/Evening Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ a b "A Meal – For the First Time in 392 Days". Evening Telegraph and Post. 11 July 1966.
- ^ "Guinness records snub for Blaine". CNN. London. 4 September 2003. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2018.