Pinoys can’t resist food–survey

MANILA, Philippines – When it comes to eating food, Filipinos just can’t say “No”, a survey by Reader’s Digest magazine found.

The survey, covering 16 countries, asked over 16,500 people around the world about their views on weight and eating.

Filipinos are the likeliest to admit that “lack of willpower” in refusing good food is the top cause for being fat, compared to other countries that blame other factors.

The survey found that 95% of Filipinos said they enjoy good food, and that 82% of Filipinos admit to “simply not having the willpower to resist it.”

Countries like America, with almost half saying they enjoy good food, are likely to blame their weight problems on lack of exercise (84%).

The Reader’s Digest survey also found that the French are the most likely to blame fast food for rising cases of obesity (79%), followed by Americans (70%) and Germans (69%).

The Russians, meanwhile, are likeliest to blame their genes (70%).

Data from the Nutrition Research Institute found that obesity is on the rise, with 20 out of every 100 Filipinos aged 20 and above overweight. (See article: “1 out of 4 Pinoy adults fat–survey”)

Ways to diet

While Filipinos find it difficult to control their appetites, many countries are trying their best to edge out cravings.

The survey found that the Chinese are the world’s most avid diet pill users, with 37% of them saying they have used slimming pills to try and lose weight.

Meanwhile, Russians bested other countries in using smoking to lose weight, with 23% of men and 18% of Russian women admitting to using the method.

Sixty-one percent of Americans resort to depriving themselves of food in order to lose weight. The survey noted that this method has had a “dismal success rate” based on clinical studies.

The country with the most sensible weight-loss strategies was found to be Mexico, with 93% of Mexicans reporting that they switched back to healthier food to lose weight, and 86% reporting that they have tried to become more physically active.

The survey noted, however, that although Mexicans know the right way to a sexy body, most don’t practice what they preach.

According to Mexico’s National Institute for Public Health, 70% of Mexican adults are overweight or obese.

Being fat can’t get you love?

The survey also found that many countries believe obesity interferes with their careers, love relationships, and even their sex lives.

Americans had the most number of married women (51%) who reported that they wish their husbands were thinner, while 47% of married American men also desire the same thing in their wives.

Indians had the most number of married men (48%) who admitted to being dissatisfied with the shape of their spouse, with 46% of married Indian women saying the same.

Hungarians are the most content with the shape of their spouses, with only 11% of married men and 14% of married women saying they wanted their mates to slim down.

Adding to India’s hang-ups, the country had the highest number of respondents (67%) who said being overweight can “seriously interfere” with their career advancement. This is 10 percentage points higher than any nation surveyed.

The survey said this notion is also pervasive in the Philippines and Germany.

Lastly, Australia and Mexico are countries where being fat interferes the most with one’s sex life.

A majority (52%) in these countries said being fat holds them back from having great sex. Australia followed closely with 51% saying the same thing.

The Hungarians (15%) and the Dutch (18%) are the least likely to say that being fat makes a difference in their sex lives.

Slimmers world

People in Finland are the most devoted when it comes to slimming down.

The survey found that 83% of Finns said they had tried to lose weight at least once in their lives followed by the Dutch at 73%.

Meanwhile, Indians reportedly had the least number of respondents (21%) who reported an interest in slimming down at some point in their lives.

The Philippines ranks low in terms of interest in slimming down, with only 38% of respondents saying they have tried to lose weight at least once in their lives.

Brazilians topped the poll for being the most “figure-conscious”, with 83% of Brazilians saying they believed their society placed too much importance on slimness.

They are followed by India (68%), the United States (62%), and Britain and France with 55% each.

Hungarians are the least figure-conscious society, with only 28% reporting that their compatriots were too fixated on slimmed-down figures.

The global survey tried to find solutions to the World Health Organization’s findings that world deaths from obesity outnumber deaths from hunger.

The study was conducted in September and October 2009 by polling firm Synovate.

It covered the following countries: Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Russia, Switzerland and the United States. –with reports from Niña Corpuz, ABS-CBN News and Agence France-Presse.