Dieting with pal more EFFECTIVE to shed kilos!

When asked why a friend's success at shedding the pounds was inspirational, two thirds (60 per cent) said that seeing a mate lose weight made them realise that they could do it too, while almost half said it was because they feared being seen as the 'fat friend'.

Angharad Massie a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers, who conducted the survey, said: 'We think it is quite significant that this research indicates that losing weight with friends or family will help you to make a long-term lifestyle change -- 72 per cent of women feel that healthy eating is more likely to become a way of life if their friends are doing it too.

'This demonstrates the power of group support where you can talk about experiences and share ideas to stay motivated. This latest research reinforces the fact that you lose significantly more weight than people who try to lose weight on their own. This really does show that when it comes to losing weight, doing it together is better.'