Only One Quarter (24%) of Canadians Say They're `Satisfied' With their Body Weight

Toronto, ON - A new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Herbal Magic has revealed that just one quarter (24%) of Canadians are `satisfied' with their body weight. Men (31%) are much more likely than women (19%) to be `satisfied' with their weight. More specifically, just 11% say they don't focus on maintaining their weight, and 13% say they do focus on maintaining that weight.

Three in ten (28%) Canadians say they feel they need to lose 15 pounds or less in order to be satisfied with their weight, while 25% say that they'd have to lose 16 to 30 pounds. One in ten (12%) would need to lose 31-50 pounds to be satisfied with their weight, and 9% say that they'd need to lose over 50 pounds in order for this to happen.

In fact, from a list of five items, four in ten (38%) say that the number one thing that would make them feel better about themselves would be to lose weight (41% of women vs. 34% of men). This is compared to one quarter (22%) who say that `being appreciated for what they do for the household' would be the number-one thing that would make them feel better about themselves. Next on the list is `a day to themselves' (19%), a promotion (13%, 18% of men vs. 9% of women), or a spa treatment (8%).

In order to be at their ideal weight from this time on, many Canadians are willing to give up a wide variety of things. Topping the list is chocolate (39%), followed by alcohol (32%), coffee (29%), playing/watching sports (26%), dessert for life (25%), and tropical holidays (23%). Canadians are much less willing to give up vacations (8%), their car (5%) their hair (5%), or 25% of their income (3%). Just 26% would not be willing to give up any of these things in order to be at their ideal weight.

Despite the majority not being satisfied with their weight, and the willingness of many to give up luxuries in order to achieve a satisfying weight for the rest of their life, on average Canadians only spend $3.90 a week on themselves for weight loss purposes. This is less than the money that Canadians spend on themselves every week on dining out for dinner ($22.80), eating lunch out ($13.00), alcohol ($11.80), cigarettes ($8.90), snacks ($8.10), or morning coffee ($4.50).

These are the findings of a poll conducted on behalf of Herbal Magic from November 17 to 20, 2008. This online survey of 2024 Canadian adults was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results of these polls are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls, however, an unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had the entire adult population of Canada been polled.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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