A 44-pound baby has been put on a special diet to slim his chubby frame.

The 8-month-old Colombian boy named Santiago weighs 44 pounds - more than double the median weight for a baby his age according to growth charts from the American Academy of Pediatrics, according to the Associated Press.

Folds of fat were hindering Santiago's ability to move - prompting his mother Eunice Fandino, to seek medical help.

"I'm worried about his obesity," Fandino said in an interview with RCN Television. "I don't want him to continue like this so, God willing, the treatment they're going to give him for his heart will work to reduce his weight."

The type of treatment Santiago will receive for his heart is unclear, but doctors are trying to get him down to 17 pounds by weaning him off formula and adding more fruit and veggies to his diet, the AP reported.

Baby Santiago weighs 44 pounds - more than double the median weight for a baby his age. (Credit: ABC News)