More than a third of young UK women aged 21 and under believe it’s more important to look good than eat a healthy diet.
This shocking attitude has been revealed in a new survey by female forums and fashion game Miss Bimbo.
The site polled 491 of its members and questioned them on their attitudes towards dieting, exercise and health.
Just over a third of all respondents are on a diet, and more than 20 per cent have tried more than three diets in the last 12 months.
More than 95 per cent of respondents say the understand what a healthy diet consists of. Yet, among the 22 to 30 year olds that responded, only 34 per cent found it easy to eat a healthy diet.
Chris Evans runs the site and said that was a common theme.
"The women surveyed seem to know what they should be doing, but find it tough to do it," he said.
He said: "For example 84 per cent of 13 to 21-year-olds know how much exercise they should be taking, but only 47 per cent believe they get enough exercise."
Chris believes the website’s busy forums - used by 85 per cent of members - provide a valuable way for young women to get advice.
He said: "We know from reading the thousands of comments in the forums that a lot of our younger members come to Miss Bimbo for advice and help from older women, often relating to their bodies and looking good.
"And the game itself helps young women learn about their health. 32 per cent of our members aged between 13 and 21 believe that having to keep their Bimbo character alive and well online makes them more aware of the need for a healthy diet for their own body."
Miss Bimbo launched in the UK in August 2007 as a virtual fashion game, and has since grown into a social networking phenomenom.
In the game players must create a female character known as a Bimbo and help her thrive in a virtual world. They do this by feeding her, buying her clothes and living out her life online.