The Average Woman Has Been On 61 Diets By Age 45, Reveals Poll

The Number Of Diets The Average Woman Has Been On...

The average 45-year-old woman has been on 61 diets since the age of 16, according to a new survey.

The statistics are perhaps not that surprising given that previous research revealed the average diet lasts just 15 days with as many as 35% of women gaining more weight than they lost in the first place once the diet is over.

But despite increasing evidence that fad diets don't work and a balanced eating plan is the key to good health, it would seem Brits just can't quit the habit.

The poll of 2,000 British adults, by Warburtons bakery, found that more than three quarters had embarked on a diet in the past year with the same number trying a different diet every two months.

The survey findings also suggest the British obsession with dieting could be affecting the next generation's eating habits as it was revealed that six out of 10 children are now proactively asking their parents to cut out important foods such as potatoes, bread and fruit out of their diet.

A fifth of those surveyed were unable to tell if they had a healthy balanced diet or not and almost a quarter (23%) said they definitely didn't.

Head of Psychology at Nuffield Health, Chris Jones, told The HuffPost Lifestyle that successfully fulfilling your weight loss goals is not about quick-fix diet fads but rather a more holistic approach incorporating lifestyle changes that take into account the effects of sleep, stress and emotional eating on the body.

Here he offers his top tips for long-term weight management:

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