World's smallest man dies of heart attack at 21

Beijing: The world's shortest man, China's He Pingping, who was just over 74 cm tall (29 inches), has died at the age of 21 from apparent heart complications, the Guinness World Records book said.

He, who suffered a form of primordial dwarfism and was recognised as a world-record holder in 2008, died on Saturday in Rome, where he was taking part in a TV show.

"For such a small man, he made a huge impact around the world," Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of the London-based Guinness World Records, said in a statement.

He was born in China's northern region of Inner Mongolia in 1988. According to the an English news channel, he was admitted to hospital two weeks ago after suffering a chest complaint.He was a chain smoker and his family said he stopped growing after he turned 18.
Guinness announced his death late on Monday.

World's shortest man dies aged 21