Trump’s weight is starting to worry doctors

US President Donald Trump has faced scrutiny for bruising on his hands, swelling in his ankles and apparent drowsiness, among other questions about his health. Some doctors say they’re worried about another risk: the 23 pounds (10 kilograms) that Trump may have gained since his last campaign for president.

In August 2023, when he was charged in Georgia in an election interference case, Trump’s booking record listed his weight as 215 pounds (98 kilos). He weighed 238 pounds (108 kilos) in May of this year, according to a medical report released by the White House that month.

That would leave him about 0.8 kilos shy of being classified as “obese”, as he was in 2019 and 2020, given his height of 190.5 centimetres.

Trump’s medical measurements have long been dissected, and it’s unclear where the 2023 weight figure came from. But the president has appeared heavier in photos than he did during his campaign, and the administration said he gained 14 pounds (6 kilos) between his most recent annual medical checkups.

White House physicians have said they’ve advised Trump – who has made little secret of his love for fast food and his distaste for intense exercise – to focus on weight loss, improving his diet and sustained physical activity. Outside doctors put it more directly: The 80-year-old president would be safer if he reduced his waistline.

“We know that obesity is a strong risk factor for numerous health issues – as well as premature disability and death,” said Scott Kahan, a George Washington University physician and director for the National Center for Weight and Wellness.

“Addressing obesity to protect the president’s health should be a priority similar to ensuring Secret Service protections for his life.”

The White House did not directly respond to questions about Trump’s weight, pointing instead to his energy and stamina.

Trump has demonstrated signs of healthy ageing. His weekly White House schedule frequently includes intense periods of meetings, press events and public remarks; he spends many weekends playing golf . His physicians have repeatedly said that they’ve been impressed by his energy, cognitive fitness and other positive markers.

“I told him he could do a better job with his diet, and he would be a little healthier if he exercised and lost some weight, but other than that, he was in outstanding shape for his age,” Ronny Jackson, who served as Trump’s physician in his first term, wrote in a 2022 memoir.

But Trump’s weight is a risk factor, medical experts have said, acknowledging that many Americans struggle with similar challenges.

More than 40 per cent of adult Americans are obese, and an additional 30 per cent-plus are overweight, according to federal data. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy jnr and other senior officials have said that helping reduce Americans’ weight should be a priority as part of their campaign to “Make America Healthy Again” and help people live longer lives.

The president has also repeatedly invoked weight – his own and others’ – in public remarks. It is a favourite taunt he uses against opponents such as Democratic Illinois Governor J.B.