One in four Australian dieters get derailed by chocolate cravings, new research shows.
The CSIRO has conducted Australia's largest diet and personality survey to try to find out why so many find it hard to maintain healthy eating.
It's found for 'The Cravers' the confectionary aisle in the supermarket is just too hard to bypass, with sweet treats proving a major stumbling block to weight loss.
"One in five 'Cravers' have tried to lose weight more than 25 times and they say that chocolate and confectionery are the biggest problem foods to resist," the report's co-author, CSIRO Behavioural Scientist Dr Sinead Golley said.
The five most common diet personality types found across the surveyed population were: The Thinker (37 per cent), The Craver (26 per cent), The Socialiser (17 per cent), The Foodie (16 per cent), and The Freewheeler (4 per cent).
For the 'Thinkers', their tendency to be perfectionists often meant they gave up when things got challenging.
It was also found that baby boomers and older Australians are more likely to be 'socialisers' and 'foodies' - suggesting lifestyle and social connections influence a person's eating patterns at different stages of life.
For anyone who has found eating to lose weight difficult, Dr Golley says knowing your personal diet type, daily habits and lifestyle factors could increase the potential to lose weight.
"If you're frustrated by unsuccessful weight loss attempts, having a better understanding of your personal triggers and diet patterns can be the crucial piece of the puzzle," she said.
THE FIVE MAIN DIET PERSONALITY TYPES
* The Thinker - overthinking and worrying about failure leads to stress which can derail diet progress.
* The Craver - craves delicious food and finds it hard to stop, leading to overeating in tempting situations.
* The Foodie - loves making, eating and experiencing food.
* The Socialiser - flexibility is essential - you won't let strict food restrictions stifle your social life.
* The Freewheeler - makes spontaneous and impulsive food choices, finds planning meals hard.
