A 10-year-old boy has been put on a diet of brown rice over fears that he may die due to his extreme obesity.
Arya Permana, who weighs 192kg, is so obese that he is unable to fit into conventional clothes, and wears nothing but a sarong draped around his waist.
‘He is always tired and complains of shortness of breath. He only eats and sleeps and when he is not done with both, he jumps into the bathtub and stays there for hours,’ Arya’s mother, Rokayah told the Daily Mail.
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Arya, who hails from West Java Province in Indonesia, has dropped out of school as walking is getting too strenuous for him.
Her son used to eat five large meals a day, Rokayah revealed.
Arya had a normal appetite when he was growing up, Rokayah shared, adding that her second son weighed a normal 3.2kg at birth.
However, Arya started gaining weight rapidly after he turned two, prompting his parents to seek medical attention.
Doctors from their village were unable to diagnose any abnormalities and recommended that Arya be sent to better hospitals if necessary.
The medical costs and food expenses are taking a toll on Arya’s father, Ade, who makes 1.7 million rupiah (S$180) monthly as a farmer.
Fasting has also been a challenge for Arya during Muslim holy month of Ramadan, The Telegraph reported.
After experiencing stomach cramps when he fasted until sunset, Arya is now fasting until noon.
grongloh@sph.com.sg
AFP / Reuters
