Battle Of The Bulge

As the Government grapples with obesity, almost half of all British women and a third of men admit their weight is ‘out of control’. The fatter people are, the less in control they feel about not only their eating but all aspects of their life - including money and jobs. A full 55 % of the very obese feel their finances are spiraling.

Amazingly 13 % of the very obese claim they DO feel in control of their diet, says the survey by weight loss experts LighterLife. It lifts the lid on a world where many have just ‘given up,’ according to LighterLife founder Bar Hewlett. The nationally representative poll, conducted by BMRB, also quizzed 995 adults on what they thought of other people and how successful they are in running their lives through a series of images. The results showed that nearly a half of all women – 46 % – feel out of control of their weight, compared with 30 % of men – a total of 18 million people in the UK. As bodyweight increases, the percentage feeling “out of control” also increases from 14 % of those of normal weight, to 42 % among the overweight, 73 % of obese people, and an alarming 87 % of the very obese. A full 38 % of Britons would break a diet at their partner’s suggestion of a takeaway. A quarter of people of healthy weight admit feeling out of control of their money, but this rises to 55 % among the very obese.

Out Of Control

Survey respondents were then shown a series of pictures including people smoking, drinking, and cooking, while researchers recorded their Body Mass Index (BMI) as 20-25 (normal weight), 26-29 (overweight), 30-39 (obese) and 40+ (very obese). They were then asked who looked the most “in control”. A male cook, perhaps an image influenced by Jamie Oliver, was thought to be most in control with 95 % agreeing, followed by a cyclist at 92 %, and a runner at 88 %. A stressed worker was seen as the most out of control, at 91 %, followed by an obese woman at 88 %, and a smoker at 57 %. The obese woman drew a consistent response from all weight groups, with around 88 % saying “out of control”. The view of smoking amongst the younger generation showed a marked difference with older people, with 62 % of 16-24-year-olds saying a female smoker appeared out of control compared to 49 % among 45-55-year-olds.

Bar Hewlett said: “It’s alarming just how many people feel out of control of their weight and how this hopelessness affects other parts of their lives. It doesn't matter how rich or poor you actually are in determining how in control you feel about your money, but there is a correlation with your weight.” She added feeling “out of control” could prompt a downward spiral. By taking positive action to losing weight, it could have a major impact on the rest of their lives. “If you start to feel more in control of one aspect, you may gain the confidence to change something else.”

If you are interested in giving up smoking see our A-Z Guide entry on Smoking Cessation and find a business in your area that can help. Or for weight loss you can find a nutritionist or someone that specialises in weight loss.