Lorraine Kelly flips comforting eating on its head | New Research on Brits perceptions of healthy eating

WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ: WW) (“WeightWatchers,” “WW,” or “the Company”) today launched a campaign to help the nation achieve their healthy intentions for 2023. In a cook-along video, WeightWatchers ambassador, Lorraine Kelly, puts an unexpected twist on Britain’s favourite comfort meals, such as the humble cheese toastie and hearty roast dinner to show that losing weight doesn’t mean missing out on the foods we all love.
New year is the time when people commit to healthy intentions for the year ahead, though the Winter blues and our tendency to go ‘all or nothing’ means many of us often fail. New research commissioned by WeightWatchers which polled over 2,000 UK adults, found that chocolate (24%), crisps (18%) and pizza (16%) are the foods that cause Brits to give up on their January health goals, with a hearty roast dinner and the irresistible cheese toastie revealed as the public’s favourite meat and vegetarian comfort meals.

When uncovering the nation’s attitudes towards New Year’s resolutions, WeightWatchers found that *two thirds (69%) of the nation struggle to manage cravings when they’re resisting their favourite foods in favour of healthier intentions, and *over half of people (53%) comfort eat in the new year to try and beat the January blues.

The research also revealed that *4 out of 5 (84%) people think the food you eat has a link to mental health, suggesting that the public recognises the benefit that healthier and more nutritious foods have on our wellbeing. However, *58% of the nation think losing weight means losing out on the foods you love; a mindset that WW are committed to challenging.

WW ambassador and TV presenter Lorraine Kelly says, “Every January millions of us intend to start the new year being the best versions of ourselves, which often involves trying to make healthier food choices. But people tend to go about this in such a restrictive and unsustainable way that a couple of weeks down the line they begin to crave the foods they love that they think are off limits, including warming comfort food.”

“That’s why WeightWatchers works so well for me. I can still eat the foods I love whilst maintaining my weight and feeling fantastic. There are over 200 ZeroPoint foods to choose from, so I never go hungry, and when I crave that comforting Sunday roast, I still enjoy it.”

When asked about the campaign and the healthiest way to achieve healthy intentions, WW nutritionist Jess O’Shea says “The healthiest way to lose weight for the long-term is to not restrict yourself. WeightWatchers is for food lovers, and so our programme is designed to allow people to lose weight while enjoying the foods they love. That means wine on date night. Sunday brunch. Birthday cake. No food, event, or celebration is off-limits.”