Six out of ten women hate the sight of their naked body, a study revealed today.
Researchers polled 2,000 women and found millions of the nation’s females are uncomfortable with their naked form.
The results showed more than four out of ten are embarrassed to be seen naked by their partner and a similar number ‘avoid mirrors altogether’ because they are embarrassed by their body.
One in four even went as far as to refuse to own a full length mirror as they get depressed seeing their reflection. .
The poll by diet and fitness experts Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs found that women’s biggest complaint was their saggy tummy, being generally overweight and untoned and cellulite.
Overall women said they hated their tummies the most, followed by their thighs.
Stretch marks, love handles and loose skin were also factors that worried women about being seen in the nude.
Rosemary Conley, CBE, said: “Baring all can be intimidating and the majority of people will have one hang-up or another.
“Even people who are in shape and extremely toned will have issues being seen without any clothes on, British people in particular seem more reserved than other nations.
“But if you are not entirely happy with your body, being naked even if it’s in front of your nearest and dearest can be embarrassing if you are self-conscious.
“All the anxieties that women have listed such as stretch marks, saggy tummies and wobbly bits are all part and parcel of getting older and having children. Very few people are lucky enough to have a flawless body.”
A third of the 2000 women polled said their love life had suffered as a result of being self-conscious about being naked.
And 33 per cent felt losing weight would improve their sex life. On average women want to lose 11 pounds in order to feel better about themselves in the bedroom the study found.
But a forlorn 15 per cent felt their partner’s affections had dwindled as they got older and put on weight.
A whopping 80 per cent were in agreement that men generally look better naked and one in five said it was because their bodies go through far less than a woman’s.
A quarter of women said they would feel better about themselves if their partner was overweight and had a few hang-ups of his own.
If they knew they were going to have to be in a state of undress either on the beach or in a changing room nearly half of women said they would try and lose a few pounds beforehand.
And one in ten said they would fake tan to give the illusion of looking thinner.
One in twenty exfoliate and 48 per cent make sure they are fuzz free before baring all.
A more courageous 15 per cent said they just take a deep breath and get on with it.
Exactly half of those polled said no woman is ever happy with her body in its naked form although 34 per cent said lots of women ooze confidence.
An undecided 15 per cent said it depended entirely on whether a female had had children as to whether she would be body conscious.
Over a third of women admitted their body was not that bad but felt they suffered from lack of confidence.
Rosemary Conley added: “The reason we include exercise in our slimming clubs is because we know that exercise will tone you up as you slim down to give you an infinitely better body and more confidence.
“I see firsthand at our successful slimmer photoshoots for my magazine, the confidence the slimmers have after shedding several stone.
“Most are then happy to try on clothes in a changing room in front of others and I’m often stunned as many look as though they’ve never been overweight ever before.
“Losing weight and toning up with exercise it the secret to attaining body confidence.”
