Size 0? The UK Would Prefer A Size 12!

A recent survey by national weight loss surgery company, Surgicare, has revealed that nearly half of the population (45%) think that size 12 is the ideal dress size for a woman.

Surgicare surveyed over 2,000 men and women of all age groups over 16 and found that size 10 was the next most popular size (28%), followed by size 14 (18%). Only a mere 0.4% thought that size 4, which is a US size 0, is the ideal dress size for a woman.

The survey comes after the recent TV documentary with Louise Redknapp, ‘The Truth About Size Zero’. Despite the fact the gulf between what men find attractive and what women think they find attractive has been well documented, Surgicare’s survey shows that both men and woman chose size 12 over and above any other dress size. A massive 73% of men like their women to be size 10 or 12 (31% said size 10 and 42% said size 12).

Interestingly, younger people (those aged 16-24), who are more likely to be influenced by the media, thought that smaller sizes – size 4 to 10 – were more ideal. 45% of men and women in this age group believed that size 10 was the best dress size and 17% said size 8 or smaller.

The survey also showed regional variations, more people in Northern Ireland (4%) than in the rest of the UK thought that size 0 was the ideal dress size. Also, Charlotte Church will be pleased to know that people in Wales prefer a curvier size 14 as a second choice (21%). Overall, every region still picked size 12 over and above any other size.

Surgicare’s weight loss surgery Chief Executive, Mark Bury, says ‘We are surprised by the results because we thought there would be obvious differences in what men and women considered the ideal dress size. However, it’s reassuring to find out the size 0 debate isn’t changing public opinion and nearly half of the population prefer a healthy size 12.’

The survey also revealed that 14% of people initially judge someone they first meet by their weight.
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Notes for editors:

Surgicare’s Chief Executive, Mark Bury, is available for press and broadcast interviews.

The survey was conducted on behalf of Surgicare by an independent market research company and the sample size was 2034. Other survey results concerning weight loss surgery and cosmetic surgery are also available.