LONDON, March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
A shocking new study has revealed Britons are eating a mountain of food every year, by consuming 43% more than they should.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130325/604949-INFO )
The average person is chomping their way through 1,270kg of food a year (the equivalent weight of a whole football team or 14 baby elephants), that's 384kg more than we need - according to the research commissioned by Weight Watchers.
'Fatty spreads' are identified as the biggest offender, with the average Brit consuming seven times more than the recommended amount of butter and margarine-type spreads on a weekly basis.
We also eat almost four times the amount of meat we should each week, more than twice as much bread and three times as many biscuits and cakes. However, when it comes to fruit and vegetables, we are actually eating far less than we need - 69% less fruit and 75% less vegetables, according to the experts.
Zoe Hellman, Head of Public Health, Weight Watchers explained: "The current epidemic of over-eating is hugely influenced by today's overloaded food environment. With the increased popularity of coffee shop culture and eating on the go it seems that, everywhere you turn, there is yet another place you can buy food, cooked and ready to eat.
"New Approach Weight Watchers helps arm you with the tools and tactics you need to navigate your way through this toxic environment so that you can make better food choices to help you lose weight and keep it off for the long term."
Weight Watchers recently launched a 'Slim Our Snacks' campaign as a result of members complaining about how hard it is, in today's food laden environment, to make healthier food choices. Added to this, over the course of the 1990s the average plate size grew by 20%, encouraging people to eat larger portions.
According to the weight loss organisation, these factors combine to create a process of "mindless eating" where people are oblivious to many food choices they make - research shows we make 220 food and drink decisions every day, yet are only aware of making about 15.
The average Brit's weekly food and drink consumption, versus what they should be eating, is shown in the below infographic:
Notes to Editors:
*Stats were compiled by comparing data from the National Obesity Observatory's National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (total grams of food consumed per day, per woman aged 19-64) with a nutritionally balanced meal plan for an average female Weight Watchers member who is maintaining their weight.
** Dr Brian Wansink, Mindless Eating
Please contact the Weight Watchers Press Office Team for more information and images:
Lucy Sethill: +44-(0)1628-415-216, LSethill@weight-watchers.co.uk
Catrin Hollely: +44-(0)1628-415-267, chollely@weight-watchers.co.uk
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