Every week, it seems, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s name inches higher on the list of potential 2016 Republican presidential candidates.

As a result, unlike any public figure in recent memory, he is increasingly compelled to assure reporters and the general public that his weight does not impair his ability to lead.

Christie, by any measure, is obese. This has provided endless fodder for late-night talk show hosts – David Letterman has ridiculed him for years – and politicos who hope to use his weight against him.