Almost half of men are worried about their weight

Making a New Year resolution and improving your life, and your looks is not the exclusive right of the young according to research by Saga Magazine. Losing weight and seeing more of the world are at the top of the agenda for over 50s in 2009.

Women are generally thought to be more concerned with their weight than men, however the Saga Populus Panel, the largest exclusive survey of over 50s in the UK, clearly shows that men are also highly likely to be worried about their weight. 48% of men plan to attempt to shed the pounds during 2009 compared with 58% of their female counterparts.

Emma Soames, Editor at large for Saga Magazine commented "It's great to see that men want to take care of their image and their health. But it's also a time to remember that crash diets just don't work long term so it's advisable to follow a healthy eating plan."

52% of over 50s cited seeing more of the world as their pledge for 2009, the second most popular resolution for the New Year. Women are marginally more likely to visit new destinations during 2009 (54%) compared to 50% of men.

Surprisingly over 50s seem satisfied with the amount of time spent with their family, with three quarters saying they do not plan to spend more time with them during 2009. 2% of 50 to 54 year olds even claimed that they hope to be divorced or separated from their spouses by the end of 2009!

The Saga website has a wide range of articles and forums on health and wellbeing including articles on healthy eating, for details visit saga.co.uk/health.