A Nation of Emotional Eaters Turn to Chocolate Rather Than Their Partner for Support

Harlow, United Kingdom, April 21, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Chocolate has been named the biggest “pick me up” for the Nation, with sex trailing in a shocking fifth place, a survey of 2000 people has found*.

The survey, conducted by weight management company LighterLife, found that 34 per cent of men and women said that they turn to chocolate to beat emotional blues.

A close runner up, and still related to a calorific intake was junk food like takeaway pizza with 19 per cent of people choosing to gorge on stodgy food after a stressful day.

Rather shockingly, a night of passionate sex is only how three per cent of the nation choose to relax and unwind.

The survey was conducted by weight management company LighterLife, who asked a panel of men and women what they turn to when they are feeling low.

And even the higher tax doesn’t seem to turn people off turning to alcohol as it came as a close third. Rather controversially, recreational drugs were also named as one of the leading sins.

TV Doctor Dr. Hilary Jones says, "I am not surprised that high fat foods are being used more than sex, alcohol and cigarettes in stressful situations but people should still think about why they are turning to chocolate and junk food rather than their partner for support. For many people it seems that food and drink are often used as a way of avoiding intimacy or for those who are single, compensating for lack of it – emotional eating ultimately puts a strain on your health. What people need to do is acknowledge the reasons why they are 'emotional eaters.'"

The LighterLife programme incorporates weekly single sex counselling groups comprising of a maximum of 12 people – they’re an integral and compulsory part of the programme and enable people to reassess their relationship with food so they are more likely to manage their weight effectively.

Which is exactly what emotional eaters need and this survey demonstrates this. Worryingly it reveals that we are a depressed Nation who would rather turn to unhealthy vices for our kicks, none of the poll said they like to work out raising concern over the health of our country.

Results:
What do you consumer more of when you feel unhappy?

Chocolate - 33.8%
Junk food - 18.4%
Alcohol - 16.10
Sweets - 8.8%
Cigarettes - 3.55%
Sex - 3%
Recreational drugs - 1.35%
None of the above - 15%

*LighterLife surveyed 2000 people (1000 men and 1000 women) in an independent survey by One Poll…

For more information please contact:
Caroline Burr
Caroline@pha-media.com
0207 0251 356

Chloe August
Chloe@pha-media.com
0207 025 1372

Jacqueline Rogers
Jacqueline@pha-media.com
0207 440 0814

Notes To Editors
· The LighterLife weight-loss programme is for people with a BMI of 25 or more.
· LighterLife helps people achieve safe and fast weight loss through the combination of a nutritionally complete VLCD and a unique behaviour-change counselling progamme to achieve sustained weight management.
· LighterLife Total is a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) comprising four food packs of nutritionally-complete soups, shakes or bars per day and abstinence from conventional food, which must be combined with weekly sessions with a LighterLife Counsellor.
· The four food packs provide a daily average of 500-600 kcal and 15.9g fat, a minimum of 50g protein and 50g carbohydrate, 0-17g fibre and at least 100% recommended daily allowances (RDAs) for key vitamins and minerals.
· LighterLife Lite is a Low Calorie Diet for people with a BMI of 25 to 30, who must undergo regular health checks from a medical practitioner such as a pharmacist or nurse. LighterLife Lite participants have three food packs a day plus one healthy, balanced LighterLife Lite meal. They must also attend compulsory weekly group sessions.
· For more information visit www.lighterlife.com or call 0800 2 988 988.