Tom Hanks Will Not Gain Weight For Future Roles After Diabetes Diagnosis

Tom Hank's has said that he will not gain weight for any future acting roles after recently being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

The double Academy Award winning actor had taken a weight manipulation roles in the past with "Castaway" as an example in 2000, though with that film, it was more about losing weight than gaining. He now feels those sort of roles are a "youngs man's game."

He told a BBC reporter. "I've talked to a number of actors who have gained weight for roles and - just out of the sheer physical toll on one's knees and shoulders - no-one wants to do it again. I think that's more or less a young man's game. I'm 57 and I don't think I'm going to take on any job - or go on any vacation again - and see to it that I can gain 30lbs."

It was revaled earlier this week, whilst on The Late Show with David Letterman, that the 57-year-old actor had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

On the show he told Letterman he had been showing symptons for a while.

"I went to the doctor, and he said, 'You know those high blood-sugar numbers you've been dealing with since you were 36? Well, you've graduated! You've got type 2 diabetes, young man."

At a press conference today, promoting his new film "Captain Phillips," Hanks said: "Gaining and losing of weight may have had something to do with this because you eat so much bad food and you don't get any exercise when you're heavy. But I think I was genetically inclined to get it and I think it actually and goes back to a lifestyle I've been leading ever since I was seven years old, as opposed to 36."

Tom Hanks also added that he understood that diabetes was a "part of life" and that he felt "just fine".

The American actor is currently in London promoting his new film "Captain Phillips" which is directed by Paul Greengrass. The film is based on the true story of the 2009 hijacking, in which US container ship Maersk Alabama was boarded by a crew of Somali pirates.

"Captain Phillips" is released across the US from October 11th and the UK from October 18th.