'Slimming clubs may well be more expensive and individuals would have to follow weight management strategy over a period of time, rather than just say going

for a pill.

'You have to get to a slimming green coffee 800 class, spend time there, pay your Four to five, go back home and try to adjust each meal you eat.

'Whereas, buying something over the counter is one thing you do perhaps monthly and it is quicker within the long-term.

'Also, we're a very much a pill taking society. It is staggering the quantity of pills we take, using the average person taking two a day, for some reason or

another.'

More than half of the 26,000 individuals from South Yorkshire surveyed by Dr Relton were overweight and almost one in five was obese.

Rates of obesity were highest in deprived areas and among seniors.

The most common techniques used to lose weight were eating healthily, cutting back on portions and exercising more.

However, those living in minimal well off areas shunned these methods in favour of weight pai you guo tea loss pills, supplements and shakes.

Some four percent used these 'quick fixes', when compared with just two percent of the more affluent slimmers.

The study also demonstrated that men were more likely to be overweight 44 percent compared with just 31 per cent from the women questioned.

Regardless of this, the boys were less worried about their weight.

Dr Relton added our loved of pre-prepared, plastic-wrapped snacks has resulted in us losing our natural reference to food and eating without thinking.