Aged just 11, Arya Permana had earned the devastating title of the world’s fattest boy.
He weighed almost 30 stone and by the time he was 10 was barely able to walk without help.
Arya, from Indonesia, was too huge to use the family bathroom and instead had to wash in an outdoor pond.
His diet of instant noodles, deep-fried chicken and fizzy drinks had seen him pile on the pounds almost as soon as he started eating.
Arya weighed as much as six average boys his age and his condition became so extreme that he eventually had to be schooled at home because he could no longer make it into classes.
His parents say they tried to encourage their morbidly obese son to eat more healthily but admit they couldn’t help but spoil him
His father, Ade Somantri, said:
“Since Arya was five-years-old and already getting big I can say, ‘yes I spoiled him.
“If he wanted to eat or drink sweet food and drinks we just gave it, if he wanted instant noodles, we just cooked it.”
Arya ate his way through five huge meals a day, so large they had to be served on two plates.
Despite begging his parents for sweet food, Arya was desperate to loose weight.
And then is started having a serious impact on his health, with him unable to walk for more than five minutes before getting so out of breath he couldn’t carry on.
Doctors had tried to persuade Arya’s parents to give permission for him to have a gastric sleeve fitted so he could shed the pounds.
Initially they were reluctant to allow their son to have the surgery but when they realised they were putting his life at risk, agreed.
The operation, carried out in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, took five hours and just a month later Arya had already lost a massive five stone.
However, Arya, who was just 13 when he had the surgery found the adjustment to what he could eat incredibly hard.
Arya was very annoyed and upset because he loved eating but after the gastric bypass surgery, if he eats a lot, he vomits.”
From two massive plates every meal-time, Arya was now full after eating just seven spoonfuls of food.
Slowly, he started to get used to his new diet and now loves to eat grilled fish, vegetables, soup and fruit.
Arya lost enough weight to be able to manage the walk to school and was delighted to be back playing with his friends.
He can also now play the sport he loves, but was unable to take part in for so long.
Arya said: “I am happier now because I can play football, hang out with friends, play around, go to the river.
“Back then I couldn’t do anything or go anywhere, I couldn’t play football, I couldn’t play badminton, but now I can do it.”
The outdoor pond he used to have to bathe in is now covered in plants because he no longer needs it and Arya one day dreams of becoming a footballer.
However, his incredible weight loss – he has now shed more than 16 stone – means he has been left with a huge amount of excess skin.
He is now hoping to have this removed.
