NEARLY half of Britons think they are overweight.
Northerners are more worried than people in the South, says today's survey.
Single people are least likely to be paranoid about their size (29%), while 45% of couples are convinced wedded bliss or living together caused them to pile on the weight.
People who eat meals with friends and family also thought they had a better chance of keeping the weight off, rather than munching great banquets alone.
Two studies were commissioned by Herbalife International, a provider of weight management products.
One quizzed 5,000 adults in Europe and the USA and the other surveyed 1,000 people in the UK.
While 42% of Britons believe they are overweight, 62% of Europeans think they are too heavy.
The North-South divide continues.
Some 47% of northerners felt overweight or obese and 20% expected to be so in five years, compared to 37% and 16% of southerners respectively.
Attitudes towards children ran along similar lines, with 15% of northerners thinking their child was overweight, as against 9% of those in the South.
Despite concerns, Britons were considered the most optimistic in Europe, with only 17% believing they would be overweight in five years compared to 36% of Europeans.
One in 10 attributed weight gain to life- changing events such as getting married.
Americans were even more concerned about their size, with 74% believing they were overweight compared to 62% of Europeans.
The survey also found Americans stuck more rigidly to diets than Europeans.
