Bill Clinton: Don't Eat Like Me

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Bill Clinton

(CBS)

Former President Bill Clinton said Wednesday that "the root causes" of his heart trouble are the eating habits he picked up as a child.

Mr. Clinton was released from New York's Presbyterian Hospital last week following a procedure to unclog a blocked artery, a complication from his 2004 quadruple bypass surgery.

Clinton blamed his health problems on "the habits I acquired in my childhood, mostly the way I ate and the way it interacted with my own biology and propensity to produce bad cholesterol," in remarks Wednesday, according to People.

"I ate too much fried food, too much ice cream, too much everything," added the former president.

Mr. Clinton's remarks come as First Lady Michelle Obama presses an initiative to fight childhood obesity centered on healthier food and exercise, an effort praised by the former president.

In addition to his eating habits, Clinton blames stress and lack of sleep and exercise for his health issues. He said he "didn't sleep much for a month" while working on Haiti relief efforts, as the Associated Press reports.

Mr. Clinton also said Wednesday that he was "very, very lucky that I didn't have a much worse set of circumstances" and that "many, many young people are facing exactly the same circumstances I did unless they change their eating and exercise habits."

"They may or may not be as lucky as I was," he said, urging young people to eat healthy now in order to avoid future health issues.

The former president, who said he felt "great" after leaving the hospital last week, has vowed to keep working hard. Mr. Clinton made his remarks at an event for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which combats childhood obesity.

Michelle Obama to Appear on Mike Huckabee's Fox News Show

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by obesity_info February 19, 2010 5:56 AM EST: Bill Clinton is a very influential personality and if he is concerned about obesity then it will create a lot of awareness among Americans. Doctors are gradually realizing that this is a major health issue which might come up in few years from now. Dr Arya Sharma has created a blog named 'Obesity Notes' and writes useful articles on childhood obesity. http://www.drsharma.ca/ I am a great fan of him and regularly follow all his articles.; Reply to this comment


by gts2525 February 18, 2010 4:06 PM EST: This is a great example of how getting enough sleep and managing stress is possibly the most important part of a healthy lifestyle. Exercise helps the body to release endorphins that help to manage stress and it will also help fatigue the body, leading to better sleep. Find out more exercise tips and information on Holosfitness.com. The site is a free online fitness tool with a wide array of health, fitness, and nutrition-related information.; Reply to this comment


by IndepTex20 February 18, 2010 2:18 PM EST: Now he says this!? Why didn't he come out and say this during the Lewinski scandal?? It would have been appropriate.................uh, sorry. Nevermind, I thought he said "Don't eat me" instead of "Don't eat like me".

My bad..........; Reply to this comment


by TVO1CITW February 18, 2010 1:47 PM EST: Maybe it was when he got the "munchies" after he and Mary Jane had a little toke.; Reply to this comment


by GreatDepression February 18, 2010 12:53 PM EST: We can all blame it on GW Bush. Where is Bush to help Clinton on the Haiti relief efforts? I thought Bush was a partner or was I dreaming?; Reply to this comment


by inventagod February 18, 2010 12:36 PM EST: ...and don't have sex like me either...; Reply to this comment


by sheila2u-2009 February 18, 2010 12:35 PM EST: YES, HEED MR. CLINTONS WARNING....SAME SITUATION FOR MANY OF US OF HIS GENERTION.....TOO LATE FOR US BUTG YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN !!!!
THE FOOD IS JUST NOT WORTH IT !!!!!; Reply to this comment


by erich_1-2009 February 18, 2010 12:03 PM EST: "Don't eat like me."

It is good that President Clinton can tell people not to do this bad habit that he has done in his life. Hopefully, he has learned his lesson and will eat right now.; Reply to this comment