What Donald Trump's Diet Could Be Doing To His Body
It's generally hard to say no to a fast food burger. Beyond the convenience factor, fast food chains that have red and yellow logos, like McDonald's, draw us in with these colors because red exudes passion and power and yellow expresses friendliness and fun. However, eating fast food regularly can have a negative impact on health since it lacks essential nutrients, which is why experts have expressed that President Donald Trump's diet could be detrimental to his overall health.
Trump's daily diet has been a hot topic for years. Just for dinner, the president could eat a Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, and Quarter Pounder with fries — sometimes with a milkshake. That's after having an 8-ounce steak with ketchup for lunch and a bag of Doritos for a snack. Since he mainly drinks Diet Coke, he typically has more than 4,000 milligrams of sodium. That's well over the 2,300-milligram daily limit that the American Heart Association recommends. Although sodium is essential, too much can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke if left unchecked.
The very early signs of that were seen in Trump's annual physical exam in April 2025, when Trump's physician reported a slightly elevated blood pressure of 128/74 mmHg — optimal is under 120/80 mmHg (per the AHA). Dietitian Dr. Shy Vishnumohan told The Takeout, "Some people dodge the consequences, thanks to good genes, staying active, managing stress, or just plain luck, [but] sometimes, they just haven't hit the point where health problems show up yet." This elevated blood pressure could be the first sign of more problems to come.
High blood pressure isn't the only effect Donald Trump's diet could have on his body
Trump prefers to drink Diet Coke. Now, we don't blame him for that choice, but the problem is that he drinks up to 12 cans a day, and drinking diet soda every day has negative effects on the body. Dietitian Susan Campbell tells Cleveland Clinic, "Switching from regular to diet soda may offer a short-term cut in calories, but your body won't be fooled for long."
Diet sodas can actually be harmful in excessive amounts. One study published in Physiology & Behavior found that artificial sweeteners trick the brain, making you crave more high-calorie foods that increases your risk of gaining weight. Another study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that people who drank diet soda had higher BMIs than those who didn't. Plus, participants who were overweight or obese and drinking diet sodas were more likely to eat high-calorie foods. That could contribute to Trump's food choices given that his weight was 224 pounds at his April 2025 checkup.
Additionally, a study of sucralose (an artificial sweetener) published in Diabetes Care found that it raises blood sugar and insulin levels, the latter of which has been linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. Dr. Vishnumohan also warns that excessive consumption of processed drinks can be harmful for the gut, leading to digestive issues. In fact, a study published in iScience found that artificial sweeteners have a significant impact on the small intestine compared to the large intestine. That's why Dr. Vishnumohan recommends water instead.
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