Diet centers popular but a letdown
Four-fifths of Greeks surveyed by a consumer watchdog have tried to lose weight at slimming centers or gyms, but almost half were unhappy with the results and 40 percent are ashamed to say how much they paid, according to a survey released yesterday. The Greek Consumer Organization (EKATO) polled 2,452 members of the general population in the country’s eight largest cities, 81 percent of whom said they were worried enough about being overweight to seek professional assistance. Many said they had been influenced by advertisements featuring popular actors and models. But 46.9 percent of those who visited weight-loss centers or gyms said the results had fallen far short of their expectations. And 40.9 percent said they were ashamed to tell their friends what they had paid. Greece has the highest percentage of obese people in the European Union.
