Table 1.
Respondent agreement and mean score with standard deviation for each statement about attributions for overweight and support for obesity policies; population-representative sample of British adults (n 1986), April 2012
| Agree/strongly agree (%) | Mean score (scored 1–5)* | sd | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attributions | |||
| People are overweight because they inherit genes that cause weight gain (n 1926) | 44·6 | 3·17 | 0·96 |
| People are overweight because they lack willpower (n 1964) | 57·0 | 3·43 | 0·98 |
| People are overweight because there are so many unhealthy foods around (n 1972) | 61·3 | 3·47 | 1·05 |
| Being overweight is mainly the person's own fault (n 1973) | 57·2 | 3·46 | 0·98 |
| Policies for weight management | |||
| Weight-loss treatments should be offered free on the NHS (n 1956) | 48·0 | 3·20 | 1·09 |
| The government should fund campaigns to encourage adults to have a healthier lifestyle (n 1975) | 70·8 | 3·65 | 0·98 |
| The government should increase taxes on the sale of unhealthy foods (n 1953) | 31·5 | 2·72 | 1·14 |
| The government should insist that restaurants and takeaways give information on the fat and calorie content of foods (n 1970) | 66·2 | 3·58 | 1·07 |
| The government should restrict advertising and marketing of unhealthy foods (n 1965) | 56·5 | 3·36 | 1·09 |
NHS, National Health Service.
*A higher score reflects a higher level of agreement.