Brits losing their battle with the bulge

British men are secretly wearing control pants to disguise their lumps and bumps, and are feeling fat at forty, according to new research. 

More than half a million men confessed to wearing control pants in a new survey commissioned by newly launched weight-loss programme, Eurodiet.

Worryingly, the research, which surveyed 1,000 people, suggests existing diets are not working effectively with two fifths of respondents returning to their pre-diet weight or even being heavier than before, after finishing their diet. Despite a massive 60 percent of people having dieted at some point in their lives, 20 percent confessed to having never lost any weight.

18-24 year olds are happiest with their weight despite their biggest weaknesses being pizza and booze.  Naughty foods are still Brits’ biggest barriers to weight loss (38 percent say so) - fish and chips are named by 40 percent of baby boomers (55 years plus) as their enemy with the rest of the population ranking chocolate and alcohol as number one.  Other dieting barriers include boring food (37 percent), finding it difficult to keep the weight off (20 percent), takes too long to see results (22 percent) and hunger pangs (37 percent).

Teens are the hardest hit when it comes to dieting – more than 70 percent said they want to lose weight and a staggering 20 percent think they need to lose between three and five stone.  The research also found that:

• Almost one half (43 percent) of teenagers have already dieted between two and seven times
• 60 percent of teens said they felt like they were always on a diet
• 18-34 year olds favour liposuction as a quick fix with nearly 20 percent considering it as an option
• Women name chocolate as their biggest enemy (45 percent) but alcohol is the problem for men (41 percent)
• Women get more depressed than men about their weight – one fifth said they’ve dieted because they were sad or depressed compared to just 6 percent of men
• Women are more vain than men – the top reason given for weight loss is feeling unattractive (and clothes not fitting) compared to men who do it mostly for health and fitness reasons
• Women are more candid with their partners about their weight than men – more men have been told they are fat by a partner (11 percent) or have been dumped because of their weight than women

Independent nutritionist, Jacqui Lowdon, says the research shows current weight loss methods and diets are not working for many.

“This research provides yet further evidence that existing diets just don’t work. While the majority of people may lose weight initially, in the long run they struggle to keep the weight off. Often this is down to boredom or poor eating habits. The research clearly shows temptation and boredom are the biggest barriers to weight loss. Diets need to be varied and interesting, which may be one of the reasons why Eurodiet has been so successful in Europe.”

Eurodiet is a 4 Phase meal-replacement style programme currently offering over 40 different nutritionally sound foods to help keep dieters motivated so they enjoy their diet.  Helping more than one million people lose weight, it is Europe’s leading weight-loss programme.

Eurodiet nutritionists ensure that people join the diet at the appropriate phase for their body’s needs and, unlike some other meal replacement diets, recommend accompanying your meals with salads and vegetables to ensure a diverse and healthy diet. Other plans may work on similar principles, but Eurodiet gradually re-trains dieters into healthier eating habits helping to ensure healthy and sustained weight loss.

For more information about Eurodiet, visit: eurodiet.co.uk