Intentional weight control and food choice habits in a national representative sample of adults in the UK.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the association between intentional weight control and specific eating behaviours.


METHODS
An interview-based survey of a representative sample of the UK population including questions about demographic characteristics, weight and height, intentional weight control and eating behaviours. Associations among the eating behaviours, and between weight control and eating behaviours, were examined.


METHODS
1894 men and women completed the interview (70% response rate).


RESULTS
Approximately equal proportions of the sample were 'not bothered about weight' (30%), 'watching their weight' (36%), or 'trying to lose weight' (28%). More men were 'not bothered' and more women were 'trying to lose'. People who were trying to lose or were watching their weight were more likely to report restricting fats, sugars, snacks, and the amount eaten at meals, than those who were not bothered, but there were no differences between weight watchers and weight losers. The overall level of restriction among weight losers was modest. There were no group differences in eating breakfast, fruits or vegetables, skipping meals or fasting.


CONCLUSIONS
Around two-thirds of the adult population of the UK appear to be concerned about weight control, and this is reflected in somewhat higher than average adherence to recommended restrictive dietary habits.
Wardle
J
J
ICRF Health Behaviour Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK. j.wardle@ucl.ac.uk
Griffith
J
J
Johnson
F
F
Rapoport
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom