Toilet pans manufactured around the world are mainly produced to a standardized platform, based upon the concept of an ‘average person’.

Whilst some specialty toilets for small children (aged 3–7 years) to use in homes and junior schools are available, no-one has properly addressed the other end of the size scale … until now.

At the 2005 ISH Frankfurt exhibition, WPR noticed an interesting product that was gaining a great deal of visitor attention.

It was called the Great John toilet, a size-friendly toilet that clearly stepped beyond the dimensions of conventional toilets.

The ‘oversized’ Great John toilet is being manufactured for people of large body mass, including the very tall, and is of particular assistance to the handicapped and aged.

The idea for the Great John toilet came from a plastic surgeon in Mexico, who was alerted to the problems that obese people face with daily toilet functions.

He, along with some colleagues in Spain (from the legal profession), conducted research and realized the significance of the issue, which is not talked about very frequently in public.

One of the former lawyers, Jaime Martin-Laborda, now heads the fledging company from Spain.

“The World Health Organization (WHO) calls obesity ‘The 21st Century Disease’ and that is the primary market we are targeting our product at,” said Jaime. “To quantify the depth of the problem, here in Spain for example, Government figures indicate 14.5% of the current population is obese. Those with Grade 11 obesity represent 0.7% of the population and figures are trending upwards.

These are substantial numbers and are similarly represented in many other countries.

“As the product is becoming better known, people with various other body and health issues, who have difficulty using the standard toilet, are also discovering the Great John”, said Jaime.The Great John stands 444.5mm (17½in) in from the ground, which means it conforms with US ADA (American Disabilities Act) requirements, and it also meets water savings needs; therefore it can be installed in new constructions.

Although the seating area is wider and longer, the central cavity is no larger than a normal toilet seat, so children can also use it.

What makes it safer for very large people is its super-wide base, which provides stability and sturdiness, as well as seat contouring which stops users sliding off.

Manufactured in Mexico and until recently only available in North America, Mexico and some Arab countries, the Great John will be marketed globally in 2006 now that a P-trap model has been added to the S-Trap version. They come in both cistern tank and flush-valve models.

Experience to date has seen sales split evenly between private homes and public facilities but this will vary from country to country.

At around $1,500 to $2,000, the Great John costs as much as many other luxury toilets, but its unique user benefits will be greatly appreciated by a significant and growing proportion of the world’s population.