A child who was formerly known as ‘the world’s fattest boy’ has undergone an incredible weight loss transformation.
Arya Permana, from West Java in Indonesia, weighed 190g (419lbs) when he was just nine-years-old, and is now barely recognisable.
Arya took part in a weight loss programme after undergoing surgery, as well embarking upon a diet and exercise regimen.
This has resulted him in losing half of his bodyweight, equating to some 110kg.
By the time he turned 14-years-old, he was unrecognisable from his old self.
Prior to this, he would eat five meals a day, which themselves were enough food for two adult-sized plates.
He also struggled with day-to-day activities such as washing, instead needing to be washed in a purpose-built pool outside.
Arya’s mom Rokayah revealed that his weight had begun to get out of control when he was about eight-years-old.
She told the BBC how he would ‘get angry and cry and cry’ if he didn’t get the food he wanted.
Arya being interviewed by the BBC. (BBC)
This might include noodles, meatball soup, and porridge.
At nine-years-old he could no longer walk to school and by the time he was 10, he couldn’t even leave the house.
His mom put him on a weight loss diet, and he then underwent bariatric surgery.
This involves the size of the stomach being reduced to help with weight loss in extreme cases.
After recovering from the surgery, Arya was able to properly start his weight loss regimen.
He was helped in this by professional bodybuilder Ade Rai, who became one of his biggest supporters.
Rai told the Jakarta Post: “I only support him. He likes sports. When he was still very fat he liked soccer.
A teenage Arya poses alongside a life size cutout of himself at his heaviest. (Jefri Tarigan/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
“The kind of support that I can give him is to share with his parents about the importance of keeping to a good diet and their motivation to support Arya.
“Arya is now a symbol of hope. People now say: ‘Even Arya can lose weight, so why can’t I?'”
Arya is now an active teenager who enjoys sports, including playing badminton with his friends.
It’s a far cry from how he looked just a couple of years earlier, with Arya even posing next to a cardboard cutout of himself at his heaviest to show just how much he has changed since then.
After his dramatic weight loss, Arya was left with excessive folds of skin which he needs to have further surgery to remove.
