56% of UK adults believe they have a healthy diet, with women less likely to be happy with their eating habits, survey reveals

56% of UK adults believe they have a healthy diet, with women less likely to be happy with their eating habits: A recent survey into Brit’s eating habits has uncovered that 56% of adults think their relationship with food is good, with women (49%) less likely to be happy with their diet than men (64%).

 

The study, by Benenden Health, studied 1,000 British adults to find out what they think about the diets they have. The survey found some differences in ages, with younger people (43%) less likely to feel happy about their eating habits than older generations.

 

Many experts say they believe discussions about body image in today’s society has created unreal expectations for younger generations, causing them to feel worse about the way they look. Filters can cause people to appear differently to how they do in ‘normal life' in order to achieve the perceived ‘perfect’ look.

 

When asked about how their mental wellbeing has changed over the past few years, around two-fifths of respondents (42%) said they had felt worse since the start of the pandemic. 

 

According to the research, the average age for someone to think about dieting or losing weight is 30, with a quarter of those surveyed saying they first thought about it between the ages of 16 and 25-years-old. Just over a fifth (22%) of Brits said they have never considered losing weight or going on a diet. 

 

The research also found that losing weight does not always lead to people feeling happier about themselves. Three-quarters of survey participants said they have tried to lose weight using various diets, with just one in five (21%) saying it made them feel happier.

 

Cheryl Lythgoe, matron at Benenden Health, said: “It is no great surprise to find that so many individuals in the UK have an unhealthy relationship with food. From a young age – especially for more recent generations - we are surrounded by conversations about body image, diets and comparisons with others.”

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