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Doctors Declare Bush 'Fit for Duty'


Doctors say President Bush is in excellent health and should remain fit for duty for the rest of his presidency. Mr. Bush had his annual physical Saturday at a Navy hospital outside the capital.

A team of doctors says the 59-year-old president is in the superior fitness category for men his age with a low risk for coronary artery disease.

Since his last physical in December, President Bush has lost nearly four kilograms, more than offsetting a weight gain that he says came from eating too many doughnuts during his re-election campaign.

The 1.8-meter-tall president weighed in at 86 kilograms Saturday. His percentage of body fat shrank from just over 18 percent to less than 16 percent.

Mr. Bush continues to have mild hearing loss and occasional heartburn. He does not drink alcohol and smokes an occasional cigar.

Doctors recommended what they call continued therapeutic lifestyle measures, including sunscreen, eating less saturated fat and cholesterol, regular exercise, and weight control.

The president does a variety of exercises six days a week, from riding a mountain bike to low-impact work on a treadmill, stretching, and using free weights. He gave-up his favorite sport, jogging, because of pain in his knees.

Doctors say they have every reasonable expectation that Mr. Bush will remain fit for the duration of his presidency.

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