Toronto's mayor refused to speak to reporters on Tuesday during a very brief photo opportunity outside his office inside City Hall.

Rob Ford, who started a public weight loss campaign earlier this year — hoping to lose 50 pounds by the end of June — appeared in public for about 20 seconds, stepping on a scale outside his office door, then retreating back into his office.

This week the mayor gained four pounds from the 310 pounds he weighed eight days ago — but he was down 16 pounds overall since January.

Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale attended the weigh-in on Tuesday. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)

"Yeah, gained four pounds. That's really good isn't it?" Ford said as he stepped off the scale and hurried away.

The mayor's brother Coun. Doug Ford weighed in at 247 pounds, which is 28 pounds below his weight at the start of the challenge.

Coun. Ford made light of the continuing disagreement between his brother and the Toronto Star.

The mayor said he would not answer any questions if Star reporter Daniel Dale was in the media scrums.

Dale became the centre of a controversy last week when the mayor confronted him on public property, accusing the reporter of taking photos of the mayor's home.

Dale, who is assigned as a municipal affairs reporter, was in attendance at the weigh-in.

Doug Ford said he didn't know why the mayor wouldn't answer questions. "I don't speak for the mayor," he said.

"I feel sorry for Daniel Dale. In my opinion he was thrown underneath the bus from his own company. That's my opinion," he said.

Dale told reporters Ford was wrong. He said the newspaper had been "incredibly supportive."