Two-Year-Old Who Was Smoking Up To 40 Cigarettes A Day Kicks The Habit

A two-year-old who became a viral hit after he was filmed chain-smoking has managed to give up smoking, has lost weight and is now hailed as the 'champion' of his school.

Little Aldi Rizal was thrust into the public eye back in 2010, at the tender age of two, when he was found in a village in Sumatra, Indonesia, puffing away on up to 40 cigarettes a day. I can't even believe I'm writing these words. A two-year-old smoking 40 a day.

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After the shocking pictures popped up online, the Indonesian government stepped in to help the little boy kick the habit. Two years on he managed to quit, but his addiction to nicotine was replaced with an urge to eat and he quickly piled on the pounds.

Credit: Barcroft Media

However, at the age of nine, Aldi is now smoke-free, a healthy weight and smashing it at school.

Aldi's mum Diane Rizal told the Mail in 2013: "At first when we were weaning Aldi off the cigarettes he would have terrible tantrums. But now he doesn't want them."

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Which might sound all well and good, but the poor kid replaced the cigs with fatty foods and, somehow, three cans of condensed milk every day. His mum said Aldi would bang his head on the wall until she gave him extra food.

By the time he got to five, he weighed 24kg, almost six kilograms above the recommended healthy weight for a kid of his age and height. Deciding enough was enough, his parents took him to see a nutritionist who helped come up with a strict diet for him.

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Paediatric specialist Dr William Nawawi thinks that Aldi's former smoking habit could have contributed to his weight gain.

He said: "The blood will not be able to break glucose from food. This will make Aldi become bigger and bigger."

Credit: Barcroft Media

But after switching to a healthy diet, including lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, Aldi has managed to shift most of his excess weight and has switched his focus to excelling in school.

Well done, Aldi.
Featured Image Credit: Barcroft Media

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19