THE WORLD’S fattest boy is unrecognisable after shedding 17 stone following a strict diet and exercise regime.

       Arya Permana, now 14, weighted an incredible 30st 3lbs (423lbs) aged just 11, but is now down to 13st (182lbs).

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       Arya Permana weighed 30st 3lbs by the time he was 11 Credit: Caters News Agency 9

       Before the weight loss, the child had to wash outside Credit: Barcroft Media 9

       The overweight boy struggled to walk and could not join friends at school Credit: Barcroft Media 9

       Arya was once considered to be the heaviest child in the world Credit: Caters News Agency

       The teenager, from a small village in West Java, Indonesia, first made headlines five years ago when he weighed more than 20st (280lbs) aged nine.

       He was so big he bathed in a pool outside as he was not able to wash himself in a shower.

       And Arya could not walk more than a few steps without getting out of breath meaning he could not attend school.

       The youngster's family could not find clothes which would fit him, so wrapped himself in a sarong while spending his days gorging on junk food including his favourite meal of instant noodles.

       But with a closely-mointored diet and regular exercise - plus a gastric band operation - Arya shed a remarkable 231pounds in three years.

       The teen had further surgery to remove excess skin from his arms and hopes to have further procedures to cut off more flab after the pandemic.

       He now walks 3km a day, plays basketball and can climb trees and ride a motorcycle for the first time.

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       Arya was also able to return to school - before it shut because of the Covid outbreak.

       He said: “In 2015, I didn't expect all this was possible or I could lose weight. Now it's feels better, so different."

       At ten years of age, Arya was addicted to fizzy drinks and noodles.

       He could chomp down rice, fish curry, beef, vegetable soup and Tempeh - a traditional soy patty - enough to feed two adults for a day.

       His parents - Rokayah, 39 and her husband Ade Somatri, 50, a farmer - were so anxious they put their son on a strict diet to control him from further bloating.

       Ade admitted he spoiled his son with junk food.

       He said: "Back in the day 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] for him."

       While the teenager managed to lose 20lbs in four months after dietitians instructed the family to feed him fruits and vegetables, Arya was still far from reducing the required weight.

       After videos of him emerged, doctors performed a bariatric surgery which helped him reduce his weight from 186.4 kg to 169 kg in just three weeks.

       Dr Handy Wing, the surgeon who performed the op, said they reduced the size of his stomach so he could not each so much.

       He said: “We made a shape like a banana and his stomach was 30 per cent of the original size, which reduced his intake.

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       Arya, seen with a cutout of his old self, had surgery to remove excess skin left after his weight loss Credit: Getty Images - Getty 9

       The teen had surgery to remove excess skin on his arms Credit: Getty 9

       Arya now walks 3km a day, climbs trees and plays basketball with friends Credit: Caters News Agency

       “It feels wonderful that he can live like other children and do normal activities."

       Arya says he eats three meals a day that include rice, tempeh, tofu and fried chicken.

       Speaking about his new lifestyle, he said: “In the past, from 2015 to 2016 I slept at 4am and would wake up at 3pm now I sleep at 10 pm.

       “I only ate instant noodles and packaged drinks. I very rarely eat white rice. Now the intention is to lose weight by dieting and exercise.

       “Most people go on a forced diet within a week and on the eighth day they are happy but eat a lot and again gain weight.

       “The portion of the meal should be reduced gradually. Reduce it a little every week and not immediately, for example, eat a plate of rice and then reduce it only to 5 tablespoons.

       “Don't make it difficult for a diet, that's what I did.”

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       Daily exercise has helped him slim down to 13st at age 14 Credit: Caters News Agency 9

       Arya says his new eating and sleeping habits helped him lose weight Credit: Getty Images - Getty