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Inside Ivana Trump's battle with obesity epidemic and her fear of 'losing' Donald Trump

Ivana had stern words for her ex when he and his current wife, former First Lady Melania Trump, tested positive for Covid in 2020
UPDATED JUL 15, 2022
Ivana Trump (L) often lectured her ex, former President Trump (R), over his love of fast food (Andrew Harrer & Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)
Ivana Trump (L) often lectured her ex, former President Trump (R), over his love of fast food (Andrew Harrer & Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)

Ivana Trump worked tirelessly to fight the obesity epidemic across the US, and once expressed fear over her ex-husband Donald Trump's hospitalization.

The former model, who died on Thursday, July 14, partnered with diet guru Gianluca Mech in 2018 to battle the country's growing obesity problem. Mech, popularly known as the 'Richard Simmons of Italy,' launched the "Italiano Diet" featuring a range of low-carb and high-fiber preparations for pasta, pizzas, and cookies. He and Ivana would subsequently tour American cities where the majority of the population was overweight to educate the masses about healthy eating.

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“The obesity rate in the United States has reached epidemic proportions and together with my dear friend Gianluca Mech, we will be introducing the ‘Italiano Diet’ to Americans from coast to coast,” Ivana said in a statement at the time. “We have to fight this now because it is getting worse, particularly among young people who need to be taught how to eat and exercise correctly so that they can have a long and healthy life.”

Ivana Trump attends DuJour Magazine's Jason Binn Celebrates Annual Art Basel Miami Beach Kick-Off Party at Delano Beach Club on December 1, 2015 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Ivana Trump attends DuJour Magazine's Jason Binn Celebrates Annual Art Basel Miami Beach Kick-Off Party at Delano Beach Club on December 1, 2015, in Miami Beach, Florida (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for DuJour)

Speaking to the New York Post, Ivana said she never had weight problems of her own. “I was always very disciplined - I didn’t gain weight my whole life,” she said. However, she had guilty pleasures just like everyone else, even appearing in ads for Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken in the past. She once said she would "dream" about eating KFC. “I have it once a year, and I’ll have it and won’t eat anything for two days,” she said.

Ivana often lectured her ex, former President Trump, over his love of fast food. “I can tell him 100 times, but he does what he wants anyway,” she said, noting that Trump had gained weight over the years. Nonetheless, she thought he was still in good shape. “He looks very, very good and is very healthy - his only weakness is the Big Mac, what can I tell you?” she said.

(L-R) Donald Trump, Ivana Trump, Eric Trump and Lara Yunaska  attend The Eric Trump 8th Annual Golf Tournament  at Trump National Golf Club Westchester on September 15, 2014 in Briarcliff Manor, New York.
(L-R) Donald Trump, Ivana Trump, Eric Trump, and Lara Yunaska attend The Eric Trump 8th Annual Golf Tournament at Trump National Golf Club Westchester on September 15, 2014, in Briarcliff Manor, New York (Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

The late media personality also had stern words for her ex when he and his current wife, former First Lady Melania Trump, tested positive for Covid in 2020. “He was careless,” she told People at the time. “He didn’t think it would happen to him." She admitted that the news was “a little bit of a shock” because he's "the cleanest, healthiest person.” Ivana explained, “Not healthiest with food, but very healthy otherwise—always washes his hands and always is careful,” she added, reiterating that his “only weakness is food.” Nonetheless, she was worried about her ex's well-being. “I am afraid,” she said of Trump being hospitalized for the virus. “I’m going to be afraid until he gets well and he gets out of it.”

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Ivana and Donald tied the knot in 1977 and eventually divorced in 1992 following the real-estate mogul's public affair with model Marla Maples. The New York Fire Department told The Sun on Thursday, July 14, how they responded to Ivana's Manhattan residence on the Upper East Side at 12.39 pm after receiving a 911 call about a person in cardiac arrest. She was declared dead on arrival. Police are not considering her death suspicious at the time of publication and she appears to have died of natural causes.

Ivana Trump attends the 9th Annual Eric Trump Foundation Golf Invitational Auction & Dinner at Trump National Golf Club Westchester on September 21, 2015 in Briarcliff Manor, New York.
Ivana Trump attends the 9th Annual Eric Trump Foundation Golf Invitational Auction & Dinner at Trump National Golf Club Westchester on September 21, 2015, in Briarcliff Manor, New York (Grant Lamos IV/Getty Images)

"It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Ivana Trump," the Trump family said in a statement confirming her demise. "Our mother was an incredible woman -- a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and a caring mother and friend. Ivana Trump was a survivor. She fled from communism and embraced this country. She taught her children about grit and toughness, compassion, and determination," adding, "She will be dearly missed by her mother, her three children, and ten grandchildren."
 

RELATED TOPICS DRAKE IVANKA TRUMP MELANIA TRUMP DONALD TRUMP
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