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Gov. Christie: Weight-loss surgery about health

Catalina Camia, USA TODAY
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie arrives at a groundbreaking ceremony in Newark. He talked to reporters after the event about his recent weight-loss surgery.
  • GOP governor says he had lap-band surgery at the behest of family and friends
  • Christie said surgery had nothing to do with a possible 2016 White House bid
  • Christie%27s weight has been a perennial topic and source of late-night TV jokes

WASHINGTON – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was always in on the joke about his weight, telling late-night comedians that his girth was fair game.

But even as the Republican struggled with his size and occasionally snapped at critics, Christie knew he had to try something "different" because nothing else was working. His surprise disclosure to the New York Post, in a story published Tuesday, that he secretly had gastric banding surgery in February to lose weight is his attempt to make sure he is there for his family for a long time to come.

"I'm doing it for my long-term health," Christie said at a Newark news conference. "This is about being healthier for the rest of your life."

Christie rejected the idea the weight-loss surgery is a bid to boost his political career as he seeks a second term in November and is frequently mentioned as a 2016 presidential contender. "This is a hell of a lot more important to me than running for president," he said.

Several politicians – Bill Clinton, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. – have struggled with their weight while in the public eye. Christie's weight became an issue as he took on Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in 2009. The incumbent ran a campaign ad showing a slow-moving Christie, as a narrator said the Republican "threw his weight around."

Political analysts said Tuesday they take Christie at his word that the surgery was done for his health, but they acknowledged there could be an upside.

"Chris Christie publicly recognized that he had health challenges in terms of his excessive weight, and he took advantage of the modern miracles of science to try and deal with it," said Ben Dworkin, a political scientist at Rider University and director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.

"Assuming it's all successful, it will certainly help him as he embarks on the strenuous task of running for president," Dworkin said.

GOP strategist Rich Galen said a candidate's health is fair game in a presidential campaign and applauded the governor's openness. "This isn't like getting Botox on your forehead. This is a health issue," Galen said. "Dealing with it openly and talking about it and giving regular updates would be a help to a lot of people."

Christie, who has said he struggled with his weight for 20 years, admitted he confronted his own mortality when he turned 50 in September. He played organized sports in his youth to keep trim and tried dieting as an adult but couldn't keep the weight off. In his wedding photo, a slim Christie stands proudly next to his wife.

"This is about Mary Pat and the kids and me and not anybody else," Christie said..

Christie's surgery was performed by George Fielding at New York University Medical Center's Weight Management Program. Fielding performed the same procedure in 2010 on New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, who talked to Christie about the experience.

In laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery, a band is placed around the top of the stomach to create a small pouch. The procedure helps patients lose weight by restricting the amount of food they can eat at a sitting. Christie said he feels full after eating only a little.

About 150,000 to 160,000 people had the surgeries in 2010, the most recent year for which figures are available, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Studies show patients who have this surgery may improve their life expectancy and reduce the risk of premature death, the organization says.

Christie long has been forthright about his weight struggles but rejected the idea that he was too fat to be president. In an interview with Barbara Walters last year, Christie said his performance after Superstorm Sandy – in which he worked long days managing the state's recovery – showed he could be effective despite his size.

During an appearance on David Letterman's show in February, Christie poked fun at himself by eating a doughnut as he talked to the CBS host. The governor said the next day that he had a plan to lose weight and lashed out at former White House physician Connie Mariano, who commented in a TV interview that Christie was at risk for a heart attack or stroke.

"Be assured there is a plan — whether it will be successful or not, you will all be able to notice," Christie said after the Letterman show appearance. He had the surgery about two weeks later.

Contributing: Kim Painter and Nanci Hellmich

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