It sometimes feels like we spend our lives on a diet, and it seems that is in fact true.
A new study has revealed that the average British adult could spend 32 years of their life on a diet.
In a study commissioned by Del Monte Naturally Light, over 4,000 people were asked about their dieting habits. Three quarters of the adult population admitted they are unhappy about their weight and yo-yo dieted each and every year.
The average amount of time spent on a diet was 6.29 months of the year.
“Diet fads come and go, but it seems that there is always a new way to get thinner, which is why it may come as no surprise that the average woman spends an alarming number of years on a diet.” Explains nutritional therapist Juliette Grove. “By far the best diet is a sustained combination of healthy eating and exercise.”
Among the British population, just 1 in 4 people are perfectly happy with their current weight; only 4% think they need to gain weight.
In contrast, 70% of people would like to lose weight, even if only a few pounds with a quarter of these feeling like they have a lot of weight to shift.
Men are slightly more content with their weight than women, however the research shows that a significant proportion of them also wish to slim down compared to 76% of women.
Lack of awareness about calorie content could be why only a quarter of dieters have actually reached and maintained their target weight. Nearly all of those questioned, have no idea how many calories are in a range of everyday foods and drinks; despite the figures being printed on packaging. And 7 out of 10 people in the UK do not know the recommended daily calorie intake for men and women.
Dieters cited a love of food and a lack of willpower as the main reasons for struggling to keep to a diet.
Tony Gill Commercial Director of Del Monte UK said: “Lighter fruit juices are a great way for people who are watching their weight to reduce calories whilst still ensuring they benefit from vitamins and minerals.”
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