Losing weight could be easier if you knew how many calories you need
Losing weight could be easier for some people - if they knew how many calories are actually in food.
A new study has found that 7 out of 10 people in the UK do not know the recommended daily calorie intake for men and women. Worse still, 90% have no idea how many calories are in a range of everyday foods and drinks; despite the figures being printed on packaging.
In spite of their lack of knowledge, three quarters of the UK population currently believe they are making an effort to control their weight.
The vast majority of these elect not to follow a specific diet plan but admit to constantly watching and controlling their food.
This group of ‘plate-watchers’ believe that by trading off quantities and foods on a plate-by-plate basis they can manage their diet effectively.
One typical respondent said: “If I have muesli for breakfast and a salad for lunch I feel fine about having a piece of cake in the afternoon. It all balances out.”
“Adults in the UK are growing weary of the thousands of different diet plans – from the Atkins diet to the Dukan diet - and feel they themselves now know the best way to reach their target weight,” explains nutritional therapist Juliette Grove.
“However with a general lack of knowledge about calorie content; these so called dieters could be piling on the pounds and missing out on key vitamins and nutrients in a futile bid to lose weight.”
“The healthiest approach to weight loss is eating a balanced, calorie-controlled diet paired with exercise. You just can’t manage your weight on a plate by plate or glass by glass basis”.
In a study commissioned by Del Monte Naturally Light, over 4,000 people were asked to identify the approximate calories in 10 everyday foods. For each item, over half of the respondents said they simply did not know the calorie content. Only 3% correctly identified the calories in a large latte, and a mere 5% came close to correctly estimating the calories in a quarter pounder burger.
Lack of awareness about calorie content could be why only a quarter of dieters have actually reached and maintained their target. Yet three quarters of the adult population are still unhappy about their own weight with one in four believing they have more than a stone to lose.
Tagged in Nutrition Diet Healthy eating Healthy Diet Plan weight