Too scared to put both feet on? You're not the only one, says the Co-Op. Photo: Getty
To have a good relationship with your bathroom scales you should step on them about once a week, experts advise. But some people weigh themselves religiously every day. And then there are those who never quite pluck up the courage at all, claims a survey by the Co-Operative Pharmacy.
According to the survey's findings, one in five of us are in such denial about our weight, we only ever use our bathroom scales to weigh other things - like our pets, for instance, or a heavy parcel or suitcase.
The survey quizzed 3,000 people about their weight and their attitudes towards it, and around 40 should have admitted they have a weight problem (official obesity figures state that 44 are obese).
So, if the survey is correct, not only are many of us scared to step on our scales, but a good number of us also underestimate how much we weigh (or we just don't want to admit we have a problem).
Researchers working on behalf of the Co-Op also asked the study's participants about the health risks associated with being overweight. And the results show that 20 said they didn't realise it also made you more likely to develop cancer and other diseases.
Are you a bathroom scales phobe? Or an obsessive weigher?