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Trump, known for his love of hamburgers and well-done steaks and
an 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 243 pounds (110.2
kg), up from 239 pounds (108.4 kg) in early 2018. The added
pounds 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.
DOCTOR'S ORDERS
Last year, Trump's doctor had directed him to try to lose 10 to
15 pounds (4.5-6.8 kg) 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 not awful, but somewhat high," said
Dr. Ranit Mishori, a professor of family medicine 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 the president's cholesterol numbers showed that
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.
"His LDL is still mildly elevated if you look at averages," said
Sorrentino.
Sorrentino said the medication reduces the risk of a heart
attack or stroke by "maybe 30 to 40 percent, but it doesn't
eliminate the risk. You still have cardiovascular risk. We've
just made that a little bit lower by being on a statin."
Trump did not undergo any procedures requiring sedation or
anesthesia, his doctor said, meaning he did not have a
colonoscopy.
The brief memo did not comment on whether Trump had been given a
cognitive assessment - the focus of much attention last year,
when the White House sought to put to rest questions about his
mental fitness for office.
(Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Julie Steenhuysen, additional
reporting by Tim Ahmann and Steve Holland; editing by Peter
Cooney and Bill Berkrot)
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