Women On Diets "More Focused On Food" Than Their Relationship

According to a new survey, women are putting more effort into dieting than they are into their relationship, with a quarter of those surveyed admitting dieting was more important than their partner, and that they put "more effort" into weight loss than keeping the relationship healthy.

The UK survey, commissioned by weight loss company Atkins, went on to reveal that an alarming 10 percent of respondents would "feel guiltier" straying from their diet than being unfaithful to their partner.

"The last thing anybody wants is for their diet to have any kind of negative impact on their life," said Atkins chief nutritionist Linda O'Byrne of the results. "A sensible diet is designed to have the very opposite effect."

However, Jezebel.com argues that the survey really shows that women simply feel that they're thinking about dieting a lot. "And while I wouldn't advocate that women spend all their time worrying about their relationships, it probably beats worrying about their thighs," said the site.

What To Eat When You're Under Pressure

While the average Australian might be able to shun the results of the Atkins survey, a local survey conducted by Go Grains Health & Nutrition's revealed recently how our eating habits have become affected by dieting.

"Australians have reduced their consumption of grain-based foods by a quarter in the past two years," said chief executive Robyn Murray. "A few years ago we started to see the low-carb diet emerge and it's now moved to this high-protein diet which has had a lot of attention through celebrities."

Murray also went on to reveal that "35 per cent of women limit their grain intake to assist with weight loss and that females aged 15 to 24 are most likely to believe that grain-based foods would make them fat."

Meanwhile, the survey also showed that while our intake of carbohydrates has reduced, consumption of grain-based takeaway foods and snack bars has actually increased.

"Almost one-third (28 per cent) of our grain-based food intake now comes from takeaway foods, cakes and pastries," said Murray.