LA fitness news

BRITS BIGGEST BODY CONSCIOUS FEARS REVEALED

June 27, 2011

It’s official – Essex really does house the finest physiques in Britain – that’s the verdict of a new study exposing Britain’s biggest body fears and attitudes to stripping off in public, revealing how as a nation we’re more body conscious than ever before.

The research study, commissioned to coincide with LA fitness’ beach body ready season, surveyed 2,000 people on their body anxieties, diet, fitness and grooming regimes they subject themselves to ahead of a holiday and parts of the UK they felt had the best bodies.

As home to Britain’s most talked about reality series, Essex triumphed as the region that respondents felt boasted the best bodies, ahead of London in second place, fashion and football destination Manchester in third, and WAG fashion capital Liverpool in fourth, demonstrating how Brits would rather swoon over a svelte Amy Childs than they would Coleen Rooney’s curves.

The survey also identified overweight men in speedos as the most unflattering sight on the beach this summer, with 62% of respondents giving larger framed men in tight trunks the thumbs down. The all too familiar beer gut appeared in second on the poll, with 56%, while man boobs were third with 42%, all results indicating that men should shape up before stripping off on the summer holiday.

The results exposed how Brits body consciousness has reached staggering heights with 77% of people claiming that they are less than confident about their bodies, with 45% conceding that they dread looking at themselves in the mirror; our concerns though it seems aren’t without taking action – a further 47% of us will diet before a beach holiday, and 1/3 of respondents admitted that they will fake tan before hitting the beach to conceal a pasty complexion.

When quizzed on the body parts we feel most self-conscious about, an overwhelming 52% earmarked their stomachs – a further 60% even go so far as to state that they will suck their stomachs in on holiday to appear slimmer than the reality. Legs and chest meanwhile came in at second and third with 10% and 7% respectively, with thighs (6%) and bums (3%) also recognised as areas of concern.

It also seems that Essex boys and girls are less concerned about baring all than others – a quarter stated that they were ‘very confident’ about their bodies, while 17% even admitted that they will go nude on the beach, with East Midlands the least body confident of the regions – only 16% remarked that they were confident about their figure.

Breakdown of all results

Most Unflattering Sights (male responses) Overweight men in speedos – 54.97% Beer gut – 54.70% Man boobs – 42% Older women sunbathing topless – 31% Cellulite – 31% Excessive body hair – 28% Bingo wings – 28% Over tanning – 18% Thong bikini – 12 Strap marks – 9%

Most Unflattering Sights  (female responses) Overweight men in speedos – 65% Beer gut – 56% Excessive body hair – 47% Older women sunbathing topless – 45% Thong bikini – 41.69% Man boobs – 41.61% Cellulite – 34% Bingo wings – 21% Over tanning – 24% Strap marks – 11%

Self-Conscious Body Parts Stomach – 53% Legs – 10% Chest – 7.15% Thighs – 6% Bum – 3.20% Waist – 2.55% Hips – 2.50% Arms – 2.50% Feet – 2.45% Nose – 1.70%

Region With The Best Body Essex – 28% London – 26% Manchester – 12% Liverpool – 6% Newcastle – 5% Dublin – 3% Birmingham – 2.90% Leeds – 2.70% Edinburgh – 2.55% Glasgow – 1.85%