Britons say no to fad diets

29 March, 2008

Even as obesity levels rise rapidly in Britain, a majority of Brits are rejecting fad diets.

A survey conducted by the market research firm Mintel has shown that, in Britain, sales of “slimming products” (such as foods with reduced fat, calorie or sugar) fell by a third over the past 5 years to £79 million in 2007.

At present, few Britons desiring to lose weight are taking to “miracle” food plans such as the Atkins, GI or the cabbage diet, the study by Mintel revealed.

“Diet plans” have, for many decades, held a strong sway on the eating habits of millions of people in Britain. However, in the latest survey, only 8% of respondents said they were on a “specific diet” – such as Atkins or the GI plan – to shed excess weight. And, 35% stressed that they believe more exercise, not dieting, is the best way to lose weight.

The research also showed that half of the respondents were most likely to cut down on fats and snacks when trying to lose weight.

Britain’s Telegraph newspaper quoted the Mintel report as stating: “Many people simply do not trust diets to deliver any more. Attitudes to dieting have become more negative with a higher proportion of consumers believing that they are hard to follow, confusing and may be harmful.”

The Mintel report, according to the report in the Telegraph, “suggests that people are embracing a new definition of healthy food, ditching diet products for organic meat and vegetables and functional foods with added ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids.”

In the United Kingdom, obesity levels are rising fast, with over a third of those aged 10 being overweight or obese. It has been estimated that, by 2050, half of the British population will be “clinically obese.”

According to the British newspaper Independent, the findings of the Mintel survey on the eating habits of the Britons are in stark contrast with those of the residents of Los Angeles, the United States, “who remain enamoured of the quick-fix, regardless of the health consequences.”

A new book, titled The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets, reveals the extent to which some US celebrities would go to show off a slim body.