Vice President JD Vance addressed his visible weight loss during a White House press briefing on Thursday, September 3, 2026, crediting a high-protein, fermented-food-heavy diet recommended to him by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. When Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked about his weight loss and how much sauerkraut he eats per day, Vance responded with a mix of self-deprecating humor and specific detail about his eating habits.
Vance has previously denied using GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and has said he lost 30 pounds between his 2022 Ohio Senate campaign and 2024. His latest comments offer the most detailed public description yet of the dietary approach he has been following, including where it came from, when he started, and who designed it.
This article covers what Vance said at the briefing, the diet plan he described, the medical professional behind the approach, what the existing evidence says about fermented foods and weight loss, and the broader context of the so-called “sauerkraut diet” that has attracted attention across the Trump administration.
What Vance Said at the Press Briefing
The exchange began when Doocy asked about Vance’s noticeably slimmer appearance. JD Vance responded by joking at his own expense: “When you’re the Vice President of the United States and one of the first questions at a press conference in the White House is how much weight you’ve lost, you must have gotten very fat. That’s one thing I take from that question.”
He then explained that his weight loss journey began around Lent, which in 2026 started on February 18. As a self-described devout Christian, Vance said he tries to take Lent seriously and practice some form of self-denial each year. This year, he decided to give up sugar and called Kennedy for advice.
He recalled the conversation: “I know you’re really into health. I’m thinking about giving up sugar. What do you think?” According to Vance, Kennedy’s response was to push him much further than just cutting out sweets. “Bobby Kennedy says, ‘No, no, no, no, I’ve got something that’s way better than that and way more intense.'”
Vance described the resulting diet as heavy on high-protein foods and sauerkraut. He quipped: “Let’s just say that if that was Fat Tuesday, Fat Wednesday never came.” He closed the exchange by saying: “My advice to you is that if you want to lose weight, call Bobby Kennedy. And if you want to enjoy what you eat, do not call Bobby Kennedy.”
The Diet Plan: What Vance and Other Administration Officials Are Eating
The eating plan Vance described aligns with what the Wall Street Journal reported in June 2026: several senior administration officials, including Vance and Kennedy, have adopted a diet built around fermented foods, grass-fed meat, and the elimination of alcohol, sugar, and processed food.
The diet was created by Dr. Sean O’Mara, a physician who focuses on reducing visceral fat. According to reporting from the Wall Street Journal, Unilad, and Men’s Fitness, the plan’s central elements include:
A Typical Day on the O’Mara Diet
| Meal | What It Includes |
|---|---|
| Lunch | Eggs, sauerkraut, pickles, and berries |
| Dinner | Grass-fed beef or lamb with more sauerkraut |
| Eliminated | Sugar, alcohol, processed food, seed oils |
| Emphasized | Fermented vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchi), grass-fed meat, high protein intake |
Kennedy has claimed he lost 20 pounds in 30 days following the approach. The Wall Street Journal noted that the diet’s emphasis on sauerkraut had created friction in at least one official’s household due to the fermented food’s strong odor.
In a January 2026 interview with USA Today’s “The Excerpt” podcast, Kennedy described his broader eating pattern as a “carnivore diet,” meaning he eats only or primarily animal products, supplemented in this case by fermented vegetables and berries.
Vance’s Denial of Ozempic Use
Vance has repeatedly denied using GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Ozempic or Wegovy. The question has been asked multiple times given the visibility of his weight loss and the widespread public discussion around these drugs.
He has consistently attributed his results to diet and exercise rather than medication. In 2024, he said he had already lost 30 pounds since his 2022 Senate campaign, and his continued slimmer appearance through 2026 has kept the topic in public conversation.
Separately, at a cabinet meeting in September 2026, President Trump mentioned that an unnamed “fat friend” was using a weight loss drug. Vance interjected to clarify he was not that person, prompting public speculation about who Trump was referring to. Elon Musk has previously disclosed using Wegovy, and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung was also the subject of similar comments from Trump.
Timeline: Vance’s Weight Loss in Public
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Vance campaigns for Ohio Senate seat; heavier appearance in campaign photos |
| 2024 | Reports that Vance has lost 30 pounds since the 2022 campaign |
| January 2026 | Kennedy describes his own diet as “carnivore” in a USA Today podcast interview |
| February 18, 2026 | Lent begins; Vance says he started the Kennedy-recommended diet around this time |
| June 2026 | Wall Street Journal reports on the sauerkraut diet’s popularity among senior administration officials |
| September 3, 2026 | Vance addresses his weight loss at a White House press briefing, credits Kennedy and the O’Mara diet |
| September 2026 | Vance clarifies at a cabinet meeting that he is not Trump’s unnamed “fat friend” on weight loss drugs |
What the Science Says About Fermented Foods and Weight Loss
For readers interested in the nutritional merits of the approach Vance described, a few points from the existing research are worth noting.
Sauerkraut is raw cabbage fermented with lactic acid bacteria. It contains vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, and live probiotic bacteria. Its calorie count is low, roughly 27 calories per cup.
The strongest evidence for the health benefits of fermented foods comes from a 2021 Stanford study published in the journal Cell, which found that a diet high in fermented foods increased gut microbiome diversity and lowered markers of inflammation over a 10-week period. Notably, a high-fiber diet used as a comparison in the same study did not produce the same anti-inflammatory effect.
However, some important caveats apply:
- Weight loss was not the primary outcome measured in the Stanford study. The research focused on gut microbiome composition and inflammatory markers, not body weight.
- The diet Vance described combines multiple interventions. Cutting sugar, alcohol, and processed food while increasing protein intake would independently contribute to weight loss for most people, regardless of whether sauerkraut was included.
- Isolating the effect of sauerkraut from the broader dietary changes is difficult. Someone who eliminates sugar and processed food while eating more protein and exercising may lose weight whether or not they add fermented vegetables.
- Individual results vary. Dietary responses depend on a person’s starting weight, metabolic profile, activity level, and adherence.
The diet is not endorsed by any major medical organization as a specific weight loss protocol. Its appeal in public discussion is partly driven by the high-profile figures following it rather than by a clinical trial demonstrating its superiority over other dietary approaches.
Who Is Dr. Sean O’Mara
Dr. Sean O’Mara, the physician behind the dietary approach Vance and Kennedy follow, focuses on reducing visceral fat, which is the fat stored around internal organs rather than the subcutaneous fat visible beneath the skin. O’Mara recommends grass-fed steak, fermented vegetables including sauerkraut and kimchi, and the elimination of processed food, sugar, and seed oils.
His approach is not part of mainstream nutritional medicine and has not been validated through large-scale peer-reviewed clinical trials. O’Mara argues that the diet supports a stronger gut microbiome and improved digestion, and his clients include several high-profile political figures, though the specifics of his practice and patient list are not publicly documented in detail.
For readers evaluating the diet, it is worth noting that many of the individual components O’Mara recommends, including high protein intake, elimination of processed food, and inclusion of fermented vegetables, are consistent with mainstream nutritional advice, even if the specific combination and branding are not part of standard dietary guidelines.
The Broader Trend: Why the “Sauerkraut Diet” Went Viral
Vance’s press briefing comments accelerated a conversation about fermented food and weight loss that had already been building for months. The Wall Street Journal’s June 2026 report documented how the diet had spread through Washington’s political class, with multiple senior officials following the same O’Mara protocol.
The trend reached mainstream search engines and social media rapidly. Men’s Fitness published a detailed analysis in July 2026 under the headline “The Sauerkraut Diet Is Going Viral. Does It Actually Work?” TikTok and Instagram saw a wave of content from nutritionists, dietitians, and home cooks either endorsing or critiquing the approach.
What makes the trend unusual is not the food itself. Sauerkraut has been a staple of Central European diets for centuries, and fermented foods more broadly have been consumed worldwide for millennia. The novelty is the association with high-profile political figures, which gave a very old food category a new cultural moment.
For readers considering trying the approach, several practical points are worth keeping in mind:
- Sauerkraut sold in shelf-stable jars at most grocery stores has typically been pasteurized, meaning the live probiotic bacteria have been killed during processing. To get the microbiome benefits cited in the Stanford study, raw, refrigerated, unpasteurized sauerkraut is necessary.
- Consuming large amounts of sauerkraut can cause digestive discomfort, including bloating and gas, particularly for people who are not accustomed to fermented foods. Starting with smaller portions and increasing gradually is a common recommendation.
- The diet eliminates entire food groups, including grains, most fruits (berries are permitted), and processed food. Any diet that removes major categories of food should ideally be discussed with a healthcare provider, particularly for people with pre-existing conditions.
- High protein diets, which are a central component of the O’Mara plan, have strong evidence supporting their role in satiety and weight management, independent of whether fermented foods are included.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much weight has JD Vance lost?
Vance said in 2024 that he had lost 30 pounds since his 2022 Senate campaign. He has continued to appear noticeably slimmer through 2026, though he has not disclosed an updated total.
Is JD Vance on Ozempic?
No. Vance has repeatedly denied using GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic or Wegovy and has attributed his weight loss to diet and exercise.
What diet does JD Vance follow?
He described a high-protein diet heavy on sauerkraut and fermented foods, recommended to him by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The diet was created by Dr. Sean O’Mara and eliminates sugar, alcohol, and processed food.
When did Vance start the diet?
He said he began around Lent 2026, which started on February 18.
Does sauerkraut help with weight loss?
Sauerkraut is low in calories and contains probiotics, but no clinical trials have established it as a standalone weight loss tool. A 2021 Stanford study found that fermented foods increase gut microbiome diversity and reduce inflammation, but weight loss was not the primary outcome measured.
Who is Dr. Sean O’Mara?
He is a physician who focuses on reducing visceral fat through a diet of grass-fed meat, fermented vegetables, and the elimination of processed food. His approach is not part of mainstream nutritional guidelines.
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Last Updated on September 9, 2026 by 247 News Around The World
