French women

Here's a piece of information that will give weight watchers around the world a good night's sleep: French women really do get fat.

Despite being a haven for mouth-watering pastries, cheese and wine, women in France have long been marvelled for their ability to stay slender.

But a survey by TNS Sofres Healthcare and the Swiss pharmaceuticals company Roche has tarnished the ladies' image of slim models of self-control after revealing that 15 per cent of the women in France are obese, while a further 26 per cent are overweight, reports The Telegraph.

In 2004, author Mireille Guilano had published a diet manual entitled French Women Don't Get Fat. The tome praised the eating habits of women who prefer to savour their food calmly and never snack between meals.

However, cutting back to reality, over the past 12 years, the average French person has put on almost 7 lbs and almost 2 inches around the waist, due in part to the change in eating habits in towns and cities and the increasing prevalence of fast food.

Dr Marie-Aline Charles, who helped conduct the research, said: "Obesity rates have really risen sharply in urban areas where there's a concentration of sedentary jobs, public transport, less need to walk and a much greater availability of food."