Trump has gained 23 pounds in three years. Doctors warn his weight poses a ‘strong risk factor’

Trump has gained 23 pounds in three years. Doctors warn his weight poses a ‘strong risk factor’ Trump weighed approximately 238 pounds in May – 14 pounds more than last year and 23 pounds more than the 215 pounds he weighed three years ago - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Doctors have warned that President Donald Trump’s weight gain is “a strong risk factor” for his health after the commander-in-chief has put on 23 pounds in three years, according to a report. Trump, a known lover of McDonald’s and Diet Coke, has long faced concerns about his overall health, including bruising on his hands and swelling of his ankles. But in the second year of his second term, doctors have warned that Trump’s weight gain needs to take priority, The Washington Post reports. The 80-year-old president weighed approximately 238 pounds at his physical exam in May – 14 pounds more than last year and 23 pounds more than the 215 pounds he was listed at in 2023, documented when he was arrested in Georgia, the newspaper noted. “We know that obesity is a strong risk factor for numerous health issues — as well as premature disability and death,” Dr. Scott Kahan, the director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness, told the Post. “Addressing obesity to protect the president’s health should be a priority similar to ensuring Secret Service protections for his life.” Trump, who has also been reported to indulge in late-night snacking, has been recommended by his White House physicians to make better dietary choices and increase his exercise to lose weight. Other medical experts have expressed similar sentiments about the president’s weight gain. Dr. Stuart Fischer, a former emergency room doctor and current internist, told the Daily Mail in June that “Someone has got to really quietly sit down and talk with him, and say, ‘You're playing with fire.’” “The fact that his doctors haven't gotten through to him about weight, to me, is kind of interesting,” Fischer told the outlet. “It should be concerning.” Trump and the White House have brushed off concerns about the aging president’s mental and physical acuity, often comparing his energy levels to that of his predecessor, whom Trump nicknamed “Sleepy Joe.” “President Trump’s sharpness, unmatched energy, relentless work ethic and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and the legacy media intentionally covered up Joe Biden’s serious mental and physical decline from the American people,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told the Post. “President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises.” The Independent has asked the White House for comment. But other officials have expressed similar concerns about Trump’s weight. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told podcaster Katie Miller earlier this year that Trump’s dietary habits were unhinged. “The interesting thing about the president is that he eats really bad food, which is McDonald’s, and, you then know, candy and Diet Coke. He drinks Diet Coke at all times. He has the constitution of a deity. I don’t know how he’s alive, but he is,” Kennedy said. The president has acknowledged his weight through jokes. While announcing new policies to make GLP-1s more accessible in June, the president said he had not taken a weight loss drug but joked, “I probably should.” During a July appearance on Second Lady Usha Vance’s podcast, the president compared his weight to that of former President William Howard Taft. “He was our heaviest president, and I have to be careful because I don’t want to supersede his record,” Trump joked. During his first term, Trump’s weight was often criticized because he weighed 243, putting him in the “obese” category for his height of 6 ft 3 in. Trump told his physician at the time, Dr. Ronny Jackson, that he would “like to lose 10 to 15 pounds” through dieting. Trump did appear visibly thinner after he left the White House in 2021. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] FLEAMERICA ERATAGAIN 5