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Chris Christie Had Secret Weight Loss Surgery

by Jericka Duncan, Mark Abrams

TRENTON, N.J. (CBS/AP) — Gov. Chris Christie secretly underwent weight-loss surgery in February at the urging of his family, spokesman Michael Drewniak told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The father of four agreed to the surgery, in which a band was placed around his stomach to restrict the amount of food he can eat, after turning 50 in September. Christie told The New York Post, which first reported the surgery, that he said he wasn't motivated by thoughts of running for president.

"I've struggled with this issue for 20 years," he told the newspaper. "For me, this is about turning 50 and looking at my children and wanting to be there for them."

On Tuesday, Gov. Christie spoke publicly about the issue, for the first time, at a ground breaking for Newark Tech.  This was his first public appearance since news broke about his weight loss surgery.

"I don't see myself as a role model, nor do I care to be a role model, in this regard for anyone," said Christie.

Gov. Christie was deluged with questions from the press.

The governor beat back speculation that a possible presidential bid played a big part in the move.

"There's nothing to do with running for governor this year, with running for president at any time in my life if I ever decided to do that.  And, I said this yesterday, it may sound odd to some people but this is a helluva lot more important to me than running for president. This is about my family's future."

Christie says his wife and four children supported his decision, and only a handful of trusted aides knew. While the governor said he wanted to keep it quiet, he agreed if asked, he would not lie.

Christie has never disclosed his weight. But he joked about his size during a February appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman," pulling out a doughnut and saying his girth was "fair game" for comedians, who had made fun of his size for years.

Christie was soon angered by comments from a former White House physician who said she worried about him dying in office. The governor said Dr. Connie Mariano should "shut up."

Days later, on Feb. 16, Christie had the surgery. He said the operation lasted 40 minutes and he was home the same afternoon.

"A week or two ago, I went to a steakhouse and ordered a steak and ate about a third of it and I was full," he told the Post.

Christie declined to say how much weight he has lost since the surgery.

The Republican governor is running for a second term in November, although his name is often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate.

"I know it sounds crazy to say that running for president is minor, but in the grand scheme of things, it was looking at Mary Pat and the kids and going, 'I have to do this for them, even if I don't give a crap about myself,"' he said.

Gastric band surgery is pitched as a minimally invasive procedure. One version of it is marketed under the brand name Lap-Band. Its website says the surgery is appropriate for adults who have failed with more conservative alternatives, such as diet and exercise.

Christie has talked about working with a personal trainer since he first ran for governor four years ago.

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery says that about 200,000 people in the U.S. have weight loss surgery each year.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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