A 13-year-old boy who once weighed an astonishing 423lbs (191.9kg) is set to have his excess skin removed after losing more than half his body weight.
Arya Permana, of Indonesia, was once considered the heaviest child in the world thanks to his diet of instant noodles, fizzy drinks and deep-fried chicken.
At just ten years old the youngster was barely able to walk, had to be home schooled and was forced to bathe in an outdoor pond. With his size putting his life at risk, Arya reportedly became the youngest person ever to undergo a gastric-sleeve operation.
The procedure – along with a strict diet of grilled fish and vegetables – helped the teenager lose a remarkable 234lbs (106kg), with him now weighing 189lbs (85.8kg).
A surgeon has offered to remove the excess skin from Arya’s chest and arms after his upcoming exams.
Arya’s size peaked when he was just ten years old and weighed the same as six boys his age. His parents tried to encourage their son to eat healthier, but admit they gave in to his demands for fattening foods.
Arya – who longed to be thin – would eat five meals a day, with two large plates per sitting. This eventually led to him being so morbidly obese he struggled to walk just five metres without getting out of breath.
Arya’s parents were initially reluctant to let their son go under the knife, but realised they were putting his life at risk by stopping him having the surgery.
Arya had the five-hour bariatric surgery at the Omni Hospital in Jakarta. Just one month later, he had lost nearly 70lbs and the weight continued to drop off.
But Arya was not thrilled with the lifestyle changes that came with his transformation. Arya now exists on a healthy diet of grilled fish, vegetables, soup and fruit.
This helped him lose enough weight to manage the 1km (0.6mile) walk to school every day, with him also having the energy to play and swim with his classmates.
And the pond he used to bathe in has been overtaken by plants. Arya – who hopes to one day be a footballer – said: ‘I am happier now.
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