A recent report by Healthnews.com posits that, at 4,653 calories, 78-year-old Donald J. Trump’s diet exceeds dietary guidelines, especially for his age group.
Using several baseline measures such as calories, sodium, sugar, and mineral intake, the report says Trump’s diet is 2.3 times above the recommended calorie guidelines for his age group, and other dietary factors may be negatively affecting his health.
How Donald Trumps Diet Compares To Dietary Guidelines
As the oldest person inaugurated as President at 78, Trump’s age and health were oft-raised concerns during the presidential campaign. Yet, most of the criticism was directed at former President Joe Biden, Trump’s initial opponent.
The Healthnews report, conducted by their nutrition expert Sandra Vigelienė- who holds a degree in Nutrition and Health, estimates the nutritional values of meals and examines the potential health risks associated with Trump’s diet.
Aside from the excess calories, Vigelienė says Trump’s sodium intake is also 2.8 times above the advised limit. The report said, “Diet undoubtedly plays an important role in determining health, especially in aging individuals.”
Vigelienė suggests that older adults limit foods high in unhealthy fats and avoid empty calories. She notes that the current President appears to be going in the exact opposite direction. She cites Trump’s publicly documented food choices, including multiple Big Macs, milkshakes, and significant amounts of Diet Coke.
Although Trump regularly skips breakfast, the Healthnews estimates are based on his “feast days,” when he doesn’t skip breakfast and compiled the report based on the following typical daily meals:
- Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.
- Lunch: A very well-done steak with ketchup.
- Dinner: Two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, and a small milkshake.
- A bag of Doritos for snacks and 12 Diet Coke throughout the day.
While the accuracy of the portion sizes has not been verified, the report estimates that Trump’s daily caloric intake exceeds 4,600 calories, around 2.3 times the recommended level for men his age, if he does not skip breakfast.
The United States dietary guidelines and recommendations reflect optimal daily calorific intakes for men 76 years old and older, which are 2,000–2,400 kcal, depending on their physical activity level.
The nutritional breakdown of a typical daily Trump meal plan was assessed as follows:
- Calories: 4,653 kcal
- Fat: 250 g (Saturated fat: 68 g, Trans fat: 3.9 g)
- Cholesterol: 830 mg
- Carbohydrates: 416 g (Fiber: 15 g, Total sugars: 106 g, Added sugars: 79 g)
- Protein: 184 g
- Sodium: 6,419 mg (USDA guidelines indicate men 51 years old and older should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day)
- Caffeine: 552 mg
- Vitamin D: 2.23 mcg
- Calcium: 1,283 mg
- Iron: 24 mg
- Potassium: 3,773 mg
Additional concerns raised included sugar- Trump is estimated to consume around 19 teaspoons (79 grams) of added sugar per day, compared with the recommended 12.5–15 teaspoons (50–60 grams).
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