On cigarettes, Obama broke his promises
The American president underwent Sunday his first "check-up" since his arrival at the White House. Despite a satisfactory record, Barack Obama struggles to quit smoking and has too high a cholesterol level.
No more cigarettes and sweets concocted by great chefs. Barack Obama will have to tighten his belt a little. The American president underwent Sunday his first "check-up" since his arrival at the White House. And, at 48 years old, although he is in "excellent health" and "good for the service", the head of state is still struggling to give up smoking.
Barack Obama previously smoked 8 cigarettes a day, according to him.
He must "continue his efforts to quit smoking," explained his doctor, Captain Jeffrey Kuhlman, after an hour and a half of auscultation. More than three years after deciding to stop - at the express request of his wife Michelle - the president would still find it difficult not to succumb from time to time to a blonde. In this case Marlboros, his favorite brand.
"I don't smoke in front of my family"
"The president continues to chew nicotine gum," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs assured during the press briefing, referring journalists to old statements by the president on this subject. Barack Obama had indeed explained last June that he was "95%" cured of smoking, although sometimes he "slipped". “As I said before, as a former smoker, I struggle all the time. Did I slip up sometimes? Yes. Am I a daily smoker? No. I do not smoke in front of my children, I do not smoke in front of my family, ”assured the former senator from Illinois, without hiding his weariness of being questioned“ at least once a month ”on his tobacco consumption.
Like any smoker, he explained, "once you start, then it's a never-ending battle, which is precisely why the law I signed is crucial." The head of state indeed validated last year a law imposing more restrictions on the tobacco industry. “Because above all, we don't want our children to start,” he argued.
"A few more cheeseburgers and desserts this year"
But beyond cigarettes, the president will also have to monitor his line. Because since coming to power, his cholesterol has skyrocketed. In January 2007, while still a senator from Illinois, Barack Obama had 173 cholesterol, including 96 LDL (or bad cholesterol) and 68 HDL (or good cholesterol). As of Sunday, he had 209 cholesterol, including 138 LDL and 62 HDL. Far too high a rate, according to the doctor's opinion.
Robert Gibbs confirmed Sunday the bad habits of the president: "Barack Obama would be the first to tell you that he ate a few more cheeseburgers and desserts during the past year", he explained. "I think he ate more than once more than he should have," he allowed himself to add.
The president weighs 82 kilos - with shoes and sports clothes - for 1.85m. His blood pressure on Sunday was 10/6 and his pulse was 56 beats / minute - which is very good. Criteria sufficient for the head of state to be declared "good for the service", said his doctor.
