In the quiet landscapes of Da Bac, Hoa Binh, resides an extraordinary toddler named Xa Hong Anh. At just over 2 years old, he weighs over 30kg, earning him the awe-inspiring moniker of ‘Giant.’

Xa Thị Thành, the head of Mường Chiềng Commune Health Station (Da Bac, Hoa Binh), recounts being the midwife during the birth of this colossal child. Over the past two years, not a day has passed without her visiting Nà Mạn Village to check on this giant toddler, observing his dietary habits and weight gain. Seeing the child’s robust health and flourishing appearance brings her solace.

The colossal toddler, Xa Hong Anh, undergoes regular blood pressure and weight checks at the health station, courtesy of Thành’s persistent requests to his mother. About half a month ago, during the latest weigh-in, the toddler tipped the scales at a whopping 30 kilograms.

Contrary to the image of this giant toddler, his mother stands petite and slender. Tin, his mother, born in 1984 and nearing 30 years old, barely reaches a height of 1.4 meters and weighs just under 37 kilograms. She expresses bewilderment at her child’s robustness, often hearing whimsical comparisons labeling him as an incarnation of a deity. Xa Hong Anh’s weight now matches that of his mother, a fact that baffles everyone.

Xa Thị Tin’s roots trace back to Giáp Đắt Commune, a dozen kilometers away from Mường Chiềng. She became part of the Nà Mạn community after marrying Xa Văn Xiềng in early 2007, with her husband slightly taller than her by a few centimeters. Their firstborn, Xa Tiến Thể, now five years old, weighs a mere 12kg, characterized by stunted growth and malnutrition. Astonishingly, his younger brother, Xa Hong Anh, born three years later in 2010, outweighs him by 2.5 times. The sight of the two brothers side by side is a stark visual contrast.

Despite his obesity, the toddler exhibits remarkable physical features. As we converse, a woman interrupts, introducing herself as a relative of Tin. She reveals that Tin’s family members are all slender and petite, a stark contrast to her son’s size.

Tin’s family faced extreme poverty. In her early years, confined to a small house, Tin had to crawl for food like a cat, enduring malnourishment to an extent that appeared akin to paralysis at the age of four. It was only at the age of six that she learned to walk. These circumstances made Tin severely malnourished.

Similarly, Xiềng’s family lacked members of large stature. Generations never saw anyone of substantial build or obesity. Life in Mường Chiềng, amidst dense forests and cohabitation with wildlife, ensured survival but not excess, making the notion of passing on genes for larger size unfathomable. No one can fathom whose genes Xa Hong Anh inherited to manifest into this extraordinary being from such modest origins.

According to Xa Thị Thành, she not only delivered Tin’s child but has closely monitored the toddler’s growth for the past two years. The impoverished household meant that Xa Tiến Thể never experienced canned milk. Likewise, Xa Hong Anh remained unaware of fresh milk, relying solely on his mother’s breast milk.

During the initial months, Xa Hong Anh’s weight gain was gradual. However, around his fifth month, the child gained an astonishing 15 kilograms, causing a swift decline in his mother’s health. Lack of sufficient breast milk led to the introduction of diluted rice porridge, and by the sixth month, he consumed meals like an older child.

Remarkably, despite having just a few new teeth, Xa Hong Anh devoured 2-3 full bowls of rice with fish sauce every meal. He hardly chewed, swiftly swallowing the food, never experiencing a feeling of fullness. His parents refrained from overfeeding, leaving the child perpetually hungry, often seeking food from neighbors or picking up scraps. To prevent him from eating unclean items, Tin resorted to offering fruits, even witnessing him consume several kilograms of guava in a day.

Upon medical examination at Hoa Binh General Hospital, doctors were astounded by Xa Hong Anh’s size and health. Despite rigorous examinations, they found no underlying medical conditions, marveling at his vibrant energy and agility resembling other children.