Fad diets losing their lustre in Britain

London, March 24 : Some celebrities might be obsessed with it, but it seems that for most of the British population, the fad diet has lost its appeal.

Despite towering obesity rates, a new research has shown that more and more Britons are turning their backs on miracle diets and slimming products.

Mintel, the market research firm, has revealed that the sales of quick-fix slimming products have slumped by a third over the past five years to 79m pounds in 2007, while the annual rate of growth in reduced fat, calorie or sugar products has slowed almost to a standstill.

The study showed that Britons hoping to shed a few pounds are now far less likely to be convinced by "miracle" food plans such as the Atkins, GI or the cabbage diet.

The latest survey showed that only eight per cent of respondents are on a specific diet.

Mintel concluded many people simply did not trust diets to deliver any more.

"Attitudes to dieting have become more negative with a higher proportion of consumers believing that they are hard to follow, confusing and may be harmful," the Telegraph quoted the report, as stating.

ANI