ALMOST two-thirds of Scots do not know how many calories the average person needs to maintain a healthy weight, according to new research.

 

Only one third (37%) of respondents knew the average man needs to consume 2,500 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight.

Energy balance - the balance between the number of calories you consume and use - is the cornerstone of weight management.

More than a third (36%) underestimates that a medium latte and blueberry muffin has 620 Kcals.

Around a third (38%) of people in Scotland do less than the minimum recommended amount of 150 minutes of exercise per week, compared to the national average of 49%. On in ten admited to doing no exercise at all (11%)

More than 2,000 people across the UK were surveyed for the YouGov poll.

The British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK and Tesco are highlighting the results, to drive awareness that failure to understand how many calories are consumed could lead to weight gain.

They believe this lack of understanding is one of the factors fuelling the high obesity rate in the UK, which in turn is leading to the high rate of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and other chronic health conditions.

Over the next three years, the three organisations aim to raise £30 million, to be spent on a series of initiatives that will help people better understand how to lead a healthy lifestyle. The ultimate ambition is to make a positive change to the health of the nation.

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation said: "These figures are deeply concerning and highlight our confusion about calories. Eating too much of any food increases the chances of becoming obese, a risk factor for coronary heart disease, which is the UK's single biggest killer.

"We all must pay more notice to what and how much we are eating and drinking."