White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson told reporters on Tuesday that the president is "very healthy," despite his unhealthy habits, because he has "incredible genes."

Jackson joked that if President Donald Trump had maintained a healthier diet over the last 20 years, he could have lived for 200 years.

Trump is known to consume copious amounts of fast food, candy, and soda, and doesn't maintain a regular exercise regimen.



President Donald Trump has a well-documented affection for fast food, red meat, and Diet Coke — and doesn't engage in any regular form of physical exercise. But his doctor, White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson, told reporters on Tuesday that the president's overall health is "excellent," despite his unhealthy habits, because he has "incredible genes."

"It's called genetics. I don't know," Jackson said. "Some people have just 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. I don't know."

He added, "It's just the way God made him."

Trump's former campaign aides, Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, wrote in their new book documenting the campaign, "Let Trump be Trump," that Trump's diet consisted exclusively of fast food.

"There were four major food groups: McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, pizza and Diet Coke," they wrote.

Jackson said that if he himself had maintained the same diet Trump has over his lifetime, he "wouldn't have the cardiac and overall health that he has."

The physician, who was appointed to his White House post by President Barack Obama and retained by Trump, said that Trump's diet has changed since he took office because he now regularly consumes meals prepared by the White House cooking staff.

"He's eating what the chefs are cooking for him now and they're cooking a much healthier diet for him now and we're going to continue working on that and make that even healthier," the doctor said.

Jackson has recommended that Trump, whose reported body mass index puts him just below the obesity line, lose between 10 and 15 pounds.

The physician's press briefing came after Trump underwent his first physical exam as president on Friday at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

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