SANTA Claus is an overweight alcoholic due to all the mince pies and booze left for him on Christmas Eve, a top doctor claims.
His mental health could also be adversely affected by sleep deprivation and work stress.
And Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard — chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs — has also warned Father Christmas is at risk of Lyme disease as his reindeer may carry ticks.
She added: “He may have gout, he may have alcoholism — there’s a real bit of binge drinking going on.
“Santa is almost certainly living with multiple morbidities which, if left untreated, can become increasingly distressing and debilitating.”
Prof Stokes-Lampard has suggested Santa run between houses rather than take his sleigh and give the sherries and mince pies a miss.
She added: “If Mr Claus was my patient, I would be encouraging him to adopt a healthier diet and take more exercise in the new year.”
“I'd also be keen to address his binge drinking, something which many people - perhaps even unknowingly - tend to do while celebrating Christmas.
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“The human body can only process one unit of alcohol per hour, which means excessive consumption could make Santa drunk very quickly.
“This not only increases the likelihood of him slipping in the snow or mixing up important presents, but could also lead to long-term issues affecting his mood and mental health.
“"In the meantime, I would recommend that Santa gives the sherry a miss this year - and maybe asks Rudolph if he can share his carrots.”
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