Finns lead world in battle of the bulge

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Finns are the world's biggest slimmers, Brazilians are the most figure-conscious and the French are likeliest to blame fast food for making them overweight, according to a survey published on Monday by the magazine Reader's Digest.

The 16-country poll was carried out in September and October last year by the US survey firm Synovate.

In Finland, 83 percent of those surveyed said they had tried to lose weight at least once in their life, it found. They were followed by the Dutch, with 73 percent. At the other end of the scale, only 21 percent of Indians said they had tried to slim at some point.

Among Brazilians, 83 percent said they believed their society placed too much importance on slimness, followed by India (68 percent), the United States (62 percent) and Britain and France (55 percent each).

In contrast, only 28 percent in Hungary said their compatriots were too figure-fixated.

Seventy-nine percent of French respondents blamed fast food for rising obesity levels. Seventy-percent of Americans, and 69 percent of Germans shared this view.

China topped the world for use of slimming pills. Thirty-seven of Chinese respondents said they had used this method to try to lose weight.

The poll, covering more than 16,500 people, was carried out in Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Russia, Switzerland and the United States.