One in five have decided they will fail before they get started

MANY of us battle with our weight each year, and now scientists have discovered the hardest part — and it’s not the cravings.

Feet on weighing scales. Weight loss. Dieting. Generic image.

THE majority of Australians sabotage themselves when it comes to losing weight, and one in five decide they will fail before their diet even begins.

Research by the CSIRO has found the weight-loss journey is paved with pitfalls. Almost 70 per cent of Australians admit what trips them up the most is themselves.

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Half of the self-saboteurs said their social activities got in the way of healthy eating, 41 per cent said they could not muster up the motivation and 36 per cent gave up when weight loss was limited.

The survey by the CSIRO, as part of their Total Wellbeing Diet online, looked at the weight management habits of 2300 Australians and found that 40 per cent of dieters had no support.

Manny Noakes, CSIRO research director for nutrition and health, said he believed diet buddies were essential to those wanting to lose weight.

“For many Australians losing weight is a challenging experience,” Professor Noakes said. “Health professionals, friends and family can all play a role in helping dieters eat better and control their weight.”

The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet online has launched Dietitian Plus, a new service which provides personalised support from Accredited Practising Dietitians to help dieters reach their weight-loss goals.

“We can help them plan for success, monitor their progress or even create their shopping list to stock their fridge or pantry,” Total Wellbeing dietitian Nicole Dynan said.

“The session can also be used to identify triggers or events that lead to overeating and ways to overcome them.”

The research also shows that 54 per cent of adults aged 18-54 are unhappy about their weight, with women (60 per cent) more likely to be concerned than men (47 per cent).

But only one quarter say they intend to review their ­portion sizes as a way of reducing calories and dropping the unwanted kilos.

Dietitians Association of Australia spokeswoman Clare Collins said many more would opt instead for “fad” diets like the lemon detox diet or the paleo diet, even though simply reducing portion sizes could decrease daily calorie intake by 10-15 per cent.

Reducing intake of takeaway food, cooking more often at home, eating more fruit and vegetables, and getting the right advice and support were also key to losing weight, Professor Collins said.

By the numbers

• Half of Aussies have tried dieting but given up

• Dieters want to lose an average of 11 per cent of their body weight within six months

• One in five believe they would fail in their weight loss goals during the next six months

• Thorty-one per cent think achieving their weight loss goal is out of their control.

Originally published as One in five have decided they will fail before they get started