Six in ten Brits consider themselves overweight

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E003605Photodisc Blue(Royalty-free)   Feet of heavy person weighing themselves on bathroom scale Photodisc Collection 20s   Bath
E003605Photodisc Blue(Royalty-free) Feet of heavy person weighing themselves on bathroom scale Photodisc Collection 20s Bath



Britons are the Europeans most likely to label themselves as overweight, with six in ten admitting they could lose a few pounds - but fewer and fewer adults are planning to do anything about it, according to a new study.


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The survey of more than 30,000 adults in 60 countries, by analysts Nielsen, revealed that 52 per cent of Europeans see themselves as overweight, with Brits topping the list.

Of those who branded themselves as heavy, 22 per cent believe they are 'somewhat' or 'very' overweight. Yet only 46 per cent of Britons are actively trying to shift the excess pounds, a drop of five per cent over the last three years.

Those that are trying to lose weight are increasingly turning to 'quick fixes' to get the job done, with the number trying diet pills, bars or shakes more than doubling, and GP prescribed weight loss medication also increasing two-fold.

A diet change is still the most popular method, the most popular choices being less chocolate and sugar, followed by cutting back on fats, while four in ten opted for portion control.

Mike Watkins, head of business and retailer insight at Nielsen UK, told the Daily Mail: "Not only are fewer Britons trying to lose weight, it seems they're slowly becoming increasingly reliant on easier fixes at the expense of harder work such as changing diet and exercise."
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Mr Watkins added that while Brits regard sugar, salt, artificial additives, cholesterol and fat as "the biggest health-related evils" in the food items filling their shopping baskets, they are "much less likely than Europeans - and people globally, as a whole - to let health attributes of food products affect what they buy".

Of those polled, Polish and Russian people were the least likely to regard themselves as overweight.

What do you think? Are we Brits guilty of laziness when it comes to losing weight? Leave your comments below...

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