A piece of research recently committed by a leading UK money saving website has been able to demonstrate that the summer months are the worst for putting on weight for the average Briton. This is mainly due to the fact that most people consume excessive amounts of calories duri ng a summer barbeque. Indeed, it tops even the calorie consumption during the festive season.
A leading money saving website in the United Kingdom has recently surveyed a cross section of the British public in an effort to find out more about health and nutrition habits. Their main finding was that 67% of people noticed that they were most likely to put on weight over the summer months, mainly due to excessive eating at summer barbeques. Indeed, this led to more weight gain than excessive eating during the festive season. It was demonstrated that a barbeque contains on average more than 1,000 calories more than a regular meal.
During the study performed by Voucher Codes Pro, some 2,196 people were surveyed. They were all residents of the United Kingdom and they were all over the age of 18. The study aimed to reveal more details about the eating habits of the average Briton, as well as the implications to overall health.
The first question that people were asked was at which point during the year they noticed the most weight gain. While the expectation was that the answer would be over Christmas and New York, 67% of respondents stated that they noticed it most strongly between June and September, the summer months.
The second question asked why people believed they were putting on weight during that time period. It was found that 58% blamed it on having many barbeques, during which time they would eat far more than normal. Also, 34% stated that they would consume excessive amounts of alcohol, most notably cider and
cocktails.
The next element of the study looked at average eating habits. All respondents were asked how many calories they believed a regular meal they eat would consume, which averaged at 650 calories. Asked how many calories they believed they consumed during a barbeque, however, and the answer was 1,775 calories, more than 1,000 calories above their regular meal.
Voucher Codes Pro also wanted to know what people would eat during these meals. They were presented with a range of popular options and respondents could choose any that applied. It was found, in order of preference, the following were the most popular foods:
- 63% – hot dogs
- 59% – cheese burgers
- 54% – chicken wings
- 48% – crisps and dips
- 44% – kebabs
While healthy options that are common at barbeques, such as baked potatoes, salads and corn on the cob, were listed in the possibilities, none of these options made the top 5. This would suggest that people are not just eating more, they are also eating less nutritious meals.
According to Nick Swan, leading researching for Voucher Codes Pro for this particular survey, explained the findings:
“I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for a good barbecue. From hot dogs to cheeseburgers, traditional BBQ cuisine is one of the UK’s favourite summertime treats – and who can blame us!”
He also added that:
“It is important, however, to ensure that you exercise regularly and keep yourself active to avoid putting on extra weight during summer. BBQ foods aren’t exactly the healthiest, so people need to make sure that they keep themselves fit and have some salad on their plate along with all the burgers and sausages!”
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