After
Donald Trump reportedly referred to some African, Central American and Caribbean nations as
"s**thole countries" during a White House meeting last week, many of us began to question his mental health. I mean, it's hardly diplomatic for one of the leaders of the western world to make comments that can easily be interpreted as racist.
However, during a detailed press conference, the White House doctor, Dr Ronny Jackson, informed the press that the 45th President of the United States has "absolutely no cognitive or mental issues whatsoever". Alleging that the results from his mental fitness exam were "normal" and that he was "very sharp". It was the former Apprentice star's weight, on the other hand, which was giving cause for concern.
According to his doctor, Donald Trump is just shy of being medically obese. Dr Ronny Jackson, the White House doctor who also served as the physician for
Barack Obama, has said that Trump needs to improve his diet and exercise regime.
Clocking in at 239 pounds, the President is 75 inches (6'3") in height - giving him a BMI of 30.3 according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. This means that Trump is just one pound away from being classified as medically obese. And his cholesterol levels aren't one to write home about either: his total cholesterol is 223, a number which is higher than recommended. Trump is, however, taking medication to address this.
However, it's not all bad news, in terms of his physical health, Jackson asserted that the 71-year-old showed "above average" capacity for exercise for someone of his age, and had great cardiac health, "energy", and "stamina", despite his weight. As Dr Jackson states, the President, like many Americans, would benefit from a "diet that is lower and fat and carbohydrates".
Trump's weight doesn't come as much of a surprise, given that he was known to have indulged in fast food chains such as McDonald's during his campaign trail. According to his former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowsk, the billionaire property mogul's go-to McDonald's order was an eye-watering two Big Macs, two Fillet-O-Fish, and a chocolate malted milkshake
.
And when Dr Ronny Jackson was asked how someone who consumes such large McDonalds orders, and has a penchant for fried chicken and diet coke, could be in such good health, he simply replied, "it's called genetics. I don't know."
"Some people have great genes. I told the president that if he had a healthier diet over the last 20 years, he might live to be 200 years old," the physician continued. "He has incredible genes, I just assume."
Well, there you have it, Donald Trump appears to have won the genetic lottery when it comes to health and fitness. Who would have known, eh?
