US President Donald Trump checks in for annual medical
US President Donald Trump has had his annual medical exam, a year after his doctor advised him to up the exercise and cut the calories.
Mr Trump spent more than four hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre for his check-up on Saturday (AEDT).
Last year, Mr Trump clocked in at 190 centimetres tall and weighed 108 kilograms.
He had a body mass index, or BMI, of 29.9, putting him in the category of being overweight for his height. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.
His doctor said the president was in “excellent health” but would do well to drop 4.5-6.8 kilograms and shift to a low-fat, low-carb diet and take up a more defined exercise routine.
Mr Trump does enjoy golf, playing the game 169 times on his golf courses since becoming President. Photo: AAP
One of the big questions on was how well Mr Trump heeded that advice.
Mr Trump, 72, doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke, but he’s not a big fan of the gym either. His primary form of exercise is golf. And he says he gets plenty of walking in around the White House complex.
As for his diet, Mr Trump’s love of fast food remains.
Last month, he invited the college football champions the Clemson Tigers to the White House during the partial government shutdown.
With the White House kitchen too understaffed to cater a meal, Mr Trump stepped in: He ordered burgers, french fries and pizza.
When asked by a reporter if he liked McDonald’s or Wendy’s hamburgers, he replied: “I like them all … great American food”.
“We have pizzas, 300 hamburgers … and the reason we did this is because of the shutdown,” he told reporters.
Watch the YouTube video of the fast food feast:
This year’s exam was overseen by Sean Conley, a Navy veteran and doctor of osteopathic medicine who is the physician to the President. Dr Conley was expected to release a paper statement sometime after the exam with his initial assessment of Mr Trump’s health.
Great afternoon in Ohio & a great evening in Pennsylvania – departing now. See you tomorrow Virginia! pic.twitter.com/jQTQYBFpdb
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2016
Modern-day presidents have undergone regular exams to catch any potential problems but also to assure the public that they are fit for office, something Mr Trump’s doctor last year took to an extraordinary level.
Mr Trump with Dr Jackson after his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, in January 2018. Photo: Getty
He also said of Mr Trump: “He has incredibly good genes, and it’s just the way God made him.”
Last year, doctors checked the President’s eyes, ears, nose and throat, heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, skin and teeth.
Neurological, cognitive and stress tests were also performed. Mr Trump’s hearing was not tested as Dr Jackson said he ran out of time.
The exam stretched past four hours.
-AP
