He may be the pastoral head of two billion Roman Catholics, but like many ordinary people, Pope Francis too is struggling with his weight problem.

Netnebrask.org reports that his doctor's order are for the pontiff to cut his intake of pasta and to exercise more. Because of his daily intake of pasta, the pope gained weight and now suffers from sciatica, a lower-back problem.

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However, like many ordinary folks too, Pope Francis is reportedly a difficult patient and is struggling with his doctor's order to cut on his pasta. Being an Italian by blood, although his parents raised him in Argentina where they immigrated, Pope Francis also loves pizza.

He said he misses being relatively anonymous, which prior to being pontiff allowed him to go out and have a pizza. However, recently, he was able to indulge when Enzo Cacialli, a pizza maker, was holding a pie and Pope Francis stopped by Naples' waterfront during his one-day visit to the city known for its pizza.

However, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, on hearing of the doctor's advice, reportedly told Pope Francis to ditch his current doctor and get a new physician, according to Today.

Like two drinkers who cheat on their drink portions, Dolan jestingly told Pope Francis, "Here's what I do, Holy Father, this really helps cut down the calories. Take these basil leaves out of the pasta - and then you can have the whole bowl and it cuts down on calories, all right."

At 78, the pope is aware than he is not as physically fit as he was when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires. In his Holy Thursday meditation, he was quoted as saying, "Do you know how many times I think about this: The weariness which all of you experience?"

He added, "I think about it and pray about it often, especially when I'm tired myself."

Pope Francis had previously told Televisa, a Mexican broadcaster, that he feels his pontificate would not be as long as Pope John Paul II, but only likely four or five years or even two to three years. He just celebrated his first year as pontiff on March 13.

TagsPope Francis, weight problem, pasta