For many women struggling to keep slim, dieting can seem to last a lifetime. For many women struggling to keep slim, dieting can seem to last a lifetime. Or to be more precise, 31 years. For researchers have found that is how long the average woman spends on a diet over the course of her life. According to a new report, British women spend an average of six months a year counting the calories and more than a fifth are on a permanent diet throughout their lifetime in a seemingly never-ending quest for the perfect figure. But they aren't the only ones waging a constant fight against the flab. The average adult male spends 28 years slimming, the poll has revealed. It found that over a tenth of the UK population is currently dieting in a bid to shed the pounds after feasting on festive treats over the Christmas period. But despite best intentions, three quarters of those who began their New Year with the firm resolution to lose weight give up by the end of the week. The average diet lasts 5.5 weeks, with the post-Christmas fast being even shorter at just three weeks. Half of slimmers throw in the towel due to lack of willpower, while a quarter of respondents said that they give up because their strict diet regime leaves them moody or depressed. The most determined of dieters are aged between 45 and 64, with almost a quarter spending up to a year slimming. In comparison, those aged between 18 and 24 are more likely to be yo-yo dieters, with a fifth giving up within a month. The survey of 1,446 of men and women revealed that nearly two thirds of the UK population are unhappy with their body and feel that being thinner would make them happier. For women, looks are more important, with over half reporting that they diet to wear fashionable clothes and a third of those surveyed said they watched their weight in a bid to feel more attractive. But in comparison, men are more focused on their long-term well-being, with over a third saying they wanted to lose weight to be more healthy. 點擊查看更多雙語新聞 (Daily Mail)

對于很多想保持苗條身材的女性來說，節食可能是件一輩子的事。 確切點說，是31年。 研究人員日前發現，普通女性一生花在節食上的時間長達31年。 一項最新報告顯示，英國女性平均一年中有半年的時間在節食減肥，而超過五分之一的女性為了追求完美身材，節食幾乎成了她們一生的“事業”。 然而，她們并不是這場“減肥持久戰”的唯一“戰士”。 調查顯示，普通成年男性一生中花在減肥上的時間長達28年。 調查發現，在圣誕節“胡吃海喝”了一通后，十分之一以上的英國人現在正在節食。 雖然出發點很好，但其中四分之三的人堅持不了幾天就放棄了，早忘了他們的新年“誓言”。 普通節食一般持續五周半，而圣誕之后的節食時間更短，只有三周半。 有一半的節食者因缺乏毅力而半途而廢，四分之一的受訪者說他們之所以放棄是因為過于嚴格的飲食“規定”讓他們情緒煩躁、心情低落。 調查顯示，45歲至64歲之間的節食者意志最堅定，其中近四分之一的人堅持了一年。 相比之下，18至24歲之間的節食者最容易動搖，其中五分之一的人堅持不到一個月就放棄了。 這項共有1446名男女參加的調查顯示，近三分之二的英國人對自己的身材不滿意，他們希望自己能能更苗條一些。 對于女性來說，外表“重于一切”，超過一半的受訪女性說她們減肥是為了能穿時髦的衣服，另有三分之一的受訪女性說減肥是為了讓自己更有魅力。 相比之下，男性則更為注重長期健康，超過三分之一的受訪男性說他們減肥為了使自己更加健康。 （英語點津姍姍編輯）