Less wealth leads to better health for 10m Brits

Ten million people in Britain feel more fit and healthy than they did this time last year as a result of the recession, according to Britain Under Pressure research commissioned by Friends Provident.

What's more, this trend looks set to continue, with 57% of respondents admitting they'd like to do more to take care of their body and health.

Over the past year, 83% have changed their eating habits, with 48% of those surveyed eating fewer ready meals or takeaways. It's not just cutting down on unhealthy habits though - 13 million people are saying they have replaced the junk food with healthy alternatives like fresh food and home-grown vegetables.

It's not just that we're eating healthier meals, our whole approach to food seems to be changing, with 31% of those aged 25-30 dusting off the cookbooks and making food at home and 23% substituting expensive treats such as eating out at a restaurant for cheaper alternatives such as supermarket meal deals.

It seems that children are also benefiting in the improved health stakes, with 21% of parents stopping treats in children's lunchboxes, and 50% no longer giving their children fast food meals as a result of the recession.

When it comes to alcohol consumption, 28% of respondents said that over the past year they had been drinking less alcohol and just over a third (37%) of these people are doing so to save money. This has resulted in a 17% drop in those who regularly drink more alcohol than the recommended limit. Looking forward, a further 12% of respondents would like to cut their alcohol intake even more.

An encouraging 55% of respondents frequently exercise for 30 minutes, 5 days a week. The recession seems to have changed the type of exercise that people are doing, with 19% of people taking part in more free methods of exercise, such as running, or following home exercise videos.

Mark Jones, head of protection at Friends Provident, said: "Even though the recession has had an impact on a lot of the UK's population, it's encouraging to see that some of this impact has been positive. The financial pressures combined with personal motivation have led people to take a fresh look at their lifestyle and priorities. As a result, it looks like many have changed for the better. Changing habits to lead a more healthy lifestyle today may motivate them to continue this trend in the future and contribute to securing a longer healthier life even if we can't guarantee long term wealth."