Britain's love affair with fast food makes them number one

An international survey has revealed that when it comes loving fast food it is Britain which heads the league with the United States coming a close second.

The poll conducted by the market research company Synovate involved 9,000 people in 13 nations, across 5 continents.

The results come at an opportune moment when global obesity rates appear to be soaring and they indicate that there are considerable variations in attitudes towards food and weight with some nationalities more concerned than others.

With the exception of parts of Asia, people in many parts of the world are getting fatter and most respondents blamed the food that was available for the rising levels of obesity.

The Brits and the Americans were the most likely to nominate "no self discipline" as the leading factor in obesity and were also the most likely to say they would be unable to give up fast food.

In the UK 45% agreed with the statement "I like the taste of fast food too much to give it up", while 44% of Americans said they would be unable to give up their burgers, pizzas and chicken wings and 37% of Canadians also felt the same.

The French with their legacy of high-class cuisine, strongly disagreed with the statement with 81 percent rejecting it, followed by 75 percent of Singaporeans and 73 percent of people from Hong Kong and Romania.

Saudi Arabians and those from the United Arab Emirates were among the top consumers of low-fat food products, meal replacements and food supplements and were also the most interested in weight-loss courses, gym memberships and home exercise equipment.

Of French people 15% weigh themselves every single day while 12% of Americans do so, while only 15 percent of Hong Kong respondents get on the scales once or more every week.

In terms of how to shed weight different strategies were also seen.

Globally most people believe reducing food intake is the best solution, followed by 43 percent who believe the key is more exercise; while 57 percent of Americans, 56 percent of French and 54 percent of Britons cut down on food to shed pounds, 14 percent of Malaysians opt for herbs and supplements to cut down their weight.

The Synovate survey was produced jointly with the BBC as part of a series examining the problems arising from obesity and what can be done about it and comes as a recent study of men and women in 63 countries has revealed that between half and two-thirds of men were overweight or obese in 2006.

Experts advise people to eat fast foods sparingly, if at all, in order to prevent becoming overweight, as excess weight increases the risk of a number of types of cancer, as well as other chronic diseases.