New Jersey Governor Chris Christie fired back at a doctor who expressed concern over his weight, and everyone is speaking out about what the doctor called a medical "time bomb." INSIDE EDITION has the latest.
It's a stand off between New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and the former White House doctor who said his health is at risk, and she is not backing down.
The former White House physician who called New Jersey Governor Chris Christie a medical "time bomb" because of his weight, repeated her concerns Wednesday night on CNN.
"The heavier you are, the more you are in the overweight/obese category, the increased risk you have with obese-related problems such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease," she said.
Dr. Connie Mariano, who served as President Bill Clinton's White House doctor, revealed to CNN that Christie actually called her yesterday to complain about her public warning.
"That phone conversation, when I think about it, the words gracious and appreciative do not come to mind," Mariano said.
But when INSIDE EDITION asked Christie about the controversy at a school ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, the potential Republican presidential candidate was not eager to discuss it.
Mariano started the feud in an interview on CNN two nights ago.
She said, "I worry that he may have a heart attack, he may have a stroke. It's almost like a time bomb waiting to happen unless he addresses those issues before he runs for office. I worry about this man dying in office!"
Christie responded to her comments, saying, "My 12-year-old son came up to me last night and asked, 'Dad, are you going to die?'"
The Chris Christie controversy was all the buzz at the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection Fashion Show in Manhattan, which promotes women's health issues.
At the event, Wendy Williams commented on the situation, saying, "I do have a little bit of a nervous tic about a man so obese being in the White House."
Meanwhile, The Biggest Loser's Jillian Michaels said, "If you're eating poorly all the time and you're not working out ever, then chances are you're significantly unhealthy."
Christie even got some support from the US Surgeon General herself, Dr. Regina Benjamin. She said, "Governor Christie is very healthy. I know he's healthy — he exercises. He's probably one of the healthiest people I know"
When Christie appeared on Late Show with David Letterman he described himself as "The healthiest fat guy you've ever seen in your life."
But is it really possible to be both fat and fit?
Kelly Gneiting, a 425-pound champion sumo wrestler, said it is possible. He's in the Guinness Book of Records as the heaviest man to complete a marathon.
Gneiting gave some heavyweight support for the larger-than-life governor.
"You can be big and you can be healthy, and I'm living proof of it," he said.
