People who diet are more likely to be overweight than those who don't, according to new study

According to the findings, a whopping 89 percent of serial dieters say they are overweight, with 92 percent admitting that yo-yo dieting over the years has made it harder for them to shift excess weight.

This is compared to just 43 percent of non-dieters who say they are overweight.

In fact, 31 percent of those who don’t restrict their eating attribute their healthy weight to the fact that they DON’T diet, while a further nine in ten say allowing odd treats is the secret to eating healthily most of the time, according to the study by nutrition and food tracking app, MyFitnessPal.

Overall, two thirds (66 percent) of the nation believe that eating a small amount of what you fancy is good for the soul, with 94 percent agreeing that life is about allowing yourself to enjoy what you like, in moderation and not to feel like anything is off limits.

Melissa Jaeger, Head of Nutrition at MyFitnessPal, comments, “The research highlights that making progress should be centred on finding balance within your diet, not the idea of ‘perfection’. This New Year, we are encouraging people to let go of the all-or-nothing mindset when it comes to setting and achieving health goals. It’s not about giving up your favourite foods or moments with family and friends, rather it’s about making small, sustainable changes that add up over time.

"Tracking what you eat can help you understand the impact of your dietary choices, encouraging a healthier and more mindful approach to eating. When you allow room for flexibility, like enjoying a side of fries or having a slice of cake at a birthday party, you’re more likely to stay motivated to keep progressing towards your health goals.”

According to the 2,000 Brits surveyed, the ideal ratio for healthy eating is 69 percent healthy and 31 percent treats with those who are at their ideal weight saying that a slice of cake on someone’s birthday (65 percent), fish and chips on holiday at the beach (58 percent), chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday (49 percent), a plate of pasta in Italy (48 percent), baguette and butter in France (35 percent), a slice of pizza in New York (34 percent) and chips with a steak (31 percent) are the top treats they would not forgo.

Other “now and then” treats which are good for your weight loss, according to those at their ideal weight, include a mince pie at Christmas (28 percent), a cream tea when in Devon or Cornwall (28 percent), a bacon sandwich after a party (28 percent), a hot dog on holiday (28 percent) and cheese and biscuits on Christmas Day (27 percent).

It’s no surprise that 87 percent of serial dieters feel that depriving themselves of anything unhealthy or calorific has sometimes led them to binge or overeat, with a further 79 percent admitting that “fad” or “highly restrictive” diets have only led to failure.

93 percent feel that dieting has got in the way of their enjoyment of life, with not having a biscuit with a cup of tea (48 percent) the thing that dieters miss the most.

Four in ten (45 percent) have refused a slice of cake in the office due to a restrictive eating plan, while 42 percent always make sure they look at a menu before going out for dinner.

Declining work drinks (41 percent), not having a birthday cake (41 percent), not having an ice cream on the beach (38 percent) and tucking into a salad while everyone else is having a takeaway (35 percent) are other sacrifices the nation’s dieters make.

One in five (16 percent) have even cancelled a restaurant booking because there were no healthy meals on the menu.

As we come out of the festive period, over half (57 percent) of the nation say they gain weight over Christmas, putting on an average of 5kg.

Despite 67 percent of us admitting we would like to lose weight in 2025, 38 percent think that ‘Banuary’ - avoiding unhealthy food and drink completely in January - makes facing the start of the year more depressing and difficult.

TWENTY OCCASIONAL TREATS TO NEVER SAY NO TO, ACCORDING TO THOSE AT THEIR IDEAL WEIGHT

A slice of cake on someone’s birthday - 65%

Fish and chips at the seaside - 58%

Chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday - 49%

A plate of pasta in Italy - 48%

A few chips with a steak - 45%

A slice of homemade cake - 45%

A Yorkshire pudding with roast beef - 45%

A slice of pizza on holiday - 43%

A baguette with butter in France - 40%

A mince pie in December - 40%

Cornish and Devonshire cream teas - 39%

A Cornish pasty in Cornwall - 39%

An occasional Saturday night Chinese takeaway - 38%

A 99-ice-cream with a flake on a sunny day - 38%

A hot dog on holiday - 38%

A bacon sandwich the morning after a party - 36%

Cheese and biscuits on Christmas Day - 33%

A slice of takeaway pizza in front of your favourite movie - 32%

A piece of Christmas pudding - 32%

Popcorn at the cinema - 28%