Warren Buffett, 94, Defends Junk Food Diet, Lack of Exercise

Warren Buffett defended his junk-food diet and distaste for exercise during Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting on Saturday.

Seated with two cans of Coca-Cola and a box of See’s Candies on the table in front of him, the billionaire investor and Berkshire CEO pointed to his advanced age as evidence that eating like a child hasn’t done him any great harm.

“At 94 years of age, I’ve been able to drink whatever I like to drink,” Buffett said, picking up one of his Coke cans. People have long issued dire warnings about the dangers of a soda habit, but Buffett said it didn’t seem to be a problem for him or his late business partner, Charlie Munger, who lived to 99.

“Charlie and I never exercised all that much — we focused on preserving ourselves carefully,” Buffett quipped, sparking peals of laughter in the audience. Business Insider was reporting live at the event from a press box stocked with a variety of See’s chocolates and a fridge full of sodas.

He pointed to the wear and tear on professional athletes’ bodies as a good reason not to join a baseball or basketball team, saying it showed the potential risks of too much exercise.

Buffett has previously said he grabs McDonald’s for breakfast on his drive to work, drinks five cans of Coke a day, and devours Dairy Queen ice cream. He’s known for loving unhealthy foods such as hot dogs, fries, popcorn, cookies, and candy.

He also hasn’t shied away from making Coca-Cola and Kraft Heinz two of Berkshire’s largest positions, and buying businesses like See’s and Dairy Queen outright.

“I think happiness makes an enormous amount of difference in terms of longevity,” Buffett said in a 2023 interview. “And I’m happier when I’m drinking Coke or eating hot fudge sundaes or hot dogs.”