‘The Don’ fit – but fatter after burgers, steaks

– US President Donald Trump gained weight over the past year and is now in the obese range, although he remains in “very good health overall”, according to results of an annual presidential physical examination conducted last week.

Trump, known for his love of hamburgers and steaks and aversion to the gym, was warned by his doctor last year that he needed to change his diet and start to exercise.

But the 72-year-old president weighed in at 110.2kg, up from 108.4kg early last year. The added weight pushed Trump’s body mass index into the obese category, which increases the risk of heart disease and is associated with a higher risk for cancers.

“He’s definitely carrying too much weight,” said Dr Matthew Sorrentino, a preventive cardiologist at the University of Chicago Medicine.

Trump’s doctor said the president’s health was fine. “After taking into account all the laboratory results, examinations and specialist recommendations, it is my determination that the president remains in very good health overall,” his physician Sean Conley said.

Last year, Trump’s doctor directed him to try to lose 4.5 to 6.8kg by eating better and exercising. While aides said he chose fish over red meat more often during the year, his main source of exercise remained golf.

Trump’s resting heart rate was 70 beats per minute (bpm), up from 68 bpm last year. His blood pressure was 118/80 compared to 122/74.

“His cholesterol levels are somewhat high,” said Dr Ranit Mishori, a professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine.

Trump’s doctor said he increased his dose of a statin, a drug to reduce cholesterol. Trump’s total blood cholesterol was 196, down from 223 last year. A breakdown of his cholesterol numbers showed his high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, the “good” or protective form of cholesterol, was 58, down from 67 last year. His low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called “bad” cholesterol, was 122, down from 143 last year. High LDL levels can lead to a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which can cause a heart attack or stroke.

Sorrentino said the medication reduced the risk of a heart attack or stroke by “maybe 30 to 40%”. Trump did not undergo any procedures requiring sedation or anesthesia, his doctor said, meaning he did not have a colonoscopy.

The memo did not comment on whether Trump had been given a cognitive assessment – the focus of attention last year when the White House sought to put to rest questions about his mental fitness for office.