Sure, Santa Claus has some attributes in his health's favor. His jolly, ho-ho-ho attitude indicates good mental health, despite living at the North Pole, which is plunged into darkness this time of year.

His longtime marriage to Mrs. Claus is a plus, because married men tend to live longer than single men.

He doesn't seem to be a high-strung, Type A personality. He must delegate well to his elves.

Keeping track of who's been naughty, who's been nice and what's on everyone's wish lists is a good intellectual challenge to ward off dementia.

Traveling by reindeer-pulled sleigh keeps him off the roads and away from car exhaust, which is a health benefit.

But that plump belly?

Very risky.

Asked about Santa's health, physicians, exercise and diet specialists all said that if Santa was their patient, they'd be concerned.

A man whose waistline is 40 inches or larger is more likely to develop heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

The experts encourage Santa to get out and play with the reindeer in the snow. Take walks through the toy workshop. Put on some music and get dancing with Mrs. Claus.

"Maybe even park the sleigh farther from the chimneys," says Luigi Nisdeo, exercise physiologist at the Strong Heart Program in Rochester, N.Y. A smaller waistline would make it easier to get down the chimneys, too, Nisdeo adds.

"We know that Santa gets a lot of sweets," says dietitian Tracy Cherry. Perhaps he could indulge in a treat or two but then freeze the rest or share them with the elves.

Santa — pausing between visits with children in Monroe County, N.Y. — admits that it would help if the kids left skim milk, veggies and fruit instead of cookies. He's partial to baby carrots — which he can share with the reindeer — and apples.

"Santa has to watch his waistline, his cholesterol," he concedes.

Cardiologist Dr. Robert Vannozzi of Greece, N.Y., recommends that Santa and Mrs. Claus switch from an arctic diet to a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, breads, beans, nuts and monounsaturated fats such as olive oil. That approach includes dairy products, fish and poultry in low to moderate amounts and little red meat.

"Even as a dietitian, I kind of feel bad picking on Santa for his weight," Cherry admits. But in her work, she sees that excess pounds can lead to heart attacks or cardiac surgery.

Not to be alarmist, but a 2004 study confirmed that people are more likely to die of a heart attack on Christmas or New Year's Day than any other day of the year. The researchers from Tufts University and University of California, San Diego, suggested one main reason may be that people who are busy with holiday obligations delay seeking help for symptoms.

Santa and others should know to call 911 right away if they experience uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the chest, arms or upper body; sudden, unexplained fatigue; or shortness of breath.

Consumer Reports on Health recommends people this time of year avoid overindulging in food or alcohol, get a flu shot, treat any illness immediately, minimize emotional stress, and take it easy when exerting yourself in the cold.

An apple-shaped body, like Santa's, tends to go along with high blood pressure, high blood sugar and out-of-whack cholesterol levels, which all add up to metabolic syndrome.

That's the name for a collection of health risks that increase a person's chance of developing heart disease, stroke and diabetes.