Dr Ronny Jackson, who performed the check-up, issued a blanket declaration on Tuesday that the president was in “excellent health” despite his unhealthy habits.

He reported that the 6ft 3in president weighed in at 239lb, three pounds heavier than he was in September 2016, and advised he shed ten to 15lb over the next year.

But Dr Jackson said he has “absolutely no concerns” about his cognitive abilities, cholesterol and cardiac health, among other things.

One reporter raised concern about the president’s diet and said: “Tell me how a guy who eats McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and all those diet Cokes and never exercises is in as good a shape as you say he’s in.”

How can Trump, who loves KFC and never exercises, be in such good health? “I don’t know. He has incredible genes,” doctor says. https://t.co/RgX60N4CHG

— Meg Wagner (@megwagner) January 16, 2018

Dr Jackson replied: “It’s called genetics. I don’t know.

“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.”

He added: “If I didn’t watch what I ate I wouldn’t have the… overall health that he has.

“So he’s very healthy despite those things. I don’t think he does that anymore.

“He has incredibly good genes; it’s just the way God made him.”

Dr Jackson said he prescribed a diet lower in fat and carbohydrates, and…

A minister for loneliness has been appointed to help tackle the misery endured by around nine million Britons.

Theresa May has backed a series of recommendations made by the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness, which highlighted how widespread the problem is.

Ms Cox, who was brutally murdered by a far-right terrorist, campaigned across the political divide before her death to find ways to combat loneliness.

As well as announcing Tracey Crouch will become the minister responsible for the issue, the Prime Minister said a cross-government strategy to find ways to stop people feeling lonely will be published later this year.

Debbie Thrower from The Gift of Years, a Christian group for older people, told Premier loneliness a massive issue due to many people growing older without their family living close by.

“I think it’s such a positive step forward. It has been recorded that being lonely is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day,” she said.

“It is very important not only form a psychological, emotional and spiritual point of view, but also just physically to remain connected with people, to remain interested, to have some sort of a social life, even if we are living alone.”

The Office for National Statistics will help to devise a method of measuring loneliness and a fund will be set up to allow Government and…

Peter Farquhar, 69, a retired university lecturer was presumed to have died of natural causes when he died at his home in the village of Maids Moreton, near Buckinghamshire, in October 2015.

However Thames Valley Police became suspicious when his 83-year-old neighbour Ann Moore-Martin – who lived three doors away, also died suddenly after a short illness 18 months later.

Mr Farquhar’s lodger, Ben Field, 27, a church warden, and friend 31-year-old Martyn Smith, a magician, have been named locally as two of three men arrested as part of the double-murder probe.

Field who was a former English and journalism student was arrested for murdering the pensioners, attempting to defraud them and also burglary.

He had been the deputy church warden at Stowe Parish Church, where Mr Farquhar attended and was also a lay preacher.

It is understood that both men helped look after Mr Farquhar as his health deteriorated in the final months of his life.

They also set up a company with Mr Farquhar, called Farquhar Studies Ltd, in order to publish the academic’s work.

An article published in August 2015 on the Buckinghamshire and Winslow Advertiser website, covered a local book signing at Stowe House for the release of Mr Farquhar’s third novel “A Wide Wide Sea”.

It states: “The book is finally seeing the light of day thanks to two students from…

Sir Desmond Swayne, the Conservative member of parliament for New Forest West, often expresses his disapproval or gives the impression of being bored when sat behind Mr Clarke.

But the 61-year-old faced claims on social media of appearing to be asleep when Mr Clarke spoke during the latest debate on the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.

Sir Desmond’s head rested on his hand and fell back for a short period as Mr Clarke discussed the EU charter of fundamental rights.

Labour former minister Ben Bradshaw, in response to one post stating Sir Desmond had fallen asleep, tweeted: “Pretending.”

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