2 in 5 Singaporeans unhappy with their weight, large majority think looks matter: survey
SINGAPORE — About two in five Singaporeans, or 43 per cent, are dissatisfied with their current weight with those in the younger age group more likely to be on diets, according to a survey by market research firm YouGov APAC.
Only 27 per cent of Singaporeans are satisfied with their weight while 30 per cent are not bothered about it, the survey released on Wednesday (12 June) shows.
Only two in 10 (21 per cent) of the respondents aged 25 to 34 are happy with their weight, compared with over a third (35 per cent) for those aged 55 and above. Women are more likely than men to be dissatisfied with their weight at 47 per cent versus 39 per cent.
About a fifth (22 per cent) of Singaporeans are currently on a diet to lose weight, the survey shows. People under the age of 25 are twice as likely as those over 55 to be dieting, at 30 per cent versus 15 per cent.
Appearance matters to the respondents. Three quarters of them (74 per cent) think that their looks have an impact on their personal life, while seven in 10 (69 per cent) believe looks affect their professional life.
Four in 10 (39 per cent) of respondents would not date someone who is overweight while over half (55 per cent) think that good-looking people tend to be more successful.
Close to one in 10 (9 per cent) of Singaporeans have had plastic surgery while almost half (46 per cent) are currently considering having some form of procedure done.
Jake Gammon, Head of Omnibus APAC at YouGov OmnibuS, said, “Although the media might not play that big a role on body image, Singaporeans as a whole are quite concerned about their weight – with a significant percentage of the population on a diet. The question is whose responsibility is it to ensure citizens maintain good physical and mental health.”
The findings are based on a survey of 1,202 Singaporeans conducted by YouGov Omnibus from 4 to 8 April.
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