Letters Show Portly President’s Weight Woes

When William Howard Taft’s weight hit almost 315 pounds, he sought advice from a leading diet guru of his day. The advice of Dr. Nathaniel Yorke-Davies would be familiar today: Eat right and exercise more. On that program, a new medical journal article reports, Taft shed 60 pounds. The article, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, sheds light on obesity treatment in the early 1900s. The condition was rare then. So Taft, then secretary of war, consulted an expert. The British doctor advised him to cut out sugar and most carbohydrates. The diet included lean meats, fish, fruit, vegetables and “gluten biscuits.” Taft was told to weigh himself daily. He was supposed to keep detailed records of what he ate and how much he exercised. All of this was shared with Dr. Yorke-Davies in frequent letters. But Taft, like many dieters, backslid.