42% of females 'always trying to lose weight'

Suicide and eating disorders: More than two out of five young females say they are "always trying to lose weight" with more …

Suicide and eating disorders: More than two out of five young females say they are "always trying to lose weight" with more than half of them knowing someone with an eating disorder, the poll shows.

Some 42 per cent of females agreed with the statement that they were always trying to lose weight. Some 57 per cent disagreed and 1 per cent gave no opinion.

This contrasts with the position among males where just 10 per cent agreed they were always trying to lose weight, 88 per cent disagreed and 1 per cent gave no opinion.

Overall just 25 per cent said they were always trying to lose weight, 73 per cent disagreed and 1 per cent gave no opinion.

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Meanwhile, some 44 per cent know someone with an eating disorder, 55 per cent do not and 1 per cent did not answer.

This is much more common among females, where 56 per cent know someone with an eating disorder, 42 per cent do not and 1 per cent did not answer.

Among males 32 per cent know someone with an eating disorder, 67 per cent do not and 1 per cent did not answer.

Some 55 per cent say they know someone in their age group who has committed or attempted suicide. Some 44 per cent do not and 1 per cent have no opinion.

In the 23 to 24 age group 68 per cent report know someone who has done so while 32 per cent do not. In contrast, among the youngest 15 to 17 group, 42 per cent know someone who has done so, 57 per cent do not and 2 per cent gave no answer.

More females (60 per cent) than males (50 per cent) reported knowing someone who had committed or tried to commit suicide.

Just one in five young people say they experience a lot of peer pressure with only 15 per cent experiencing pressure from their friends.

Some 21 per cent experience peer pressure, 75 per cent do not and 4 per cent have no opinion. However, peer pressure is considerably stronger within the youngest 15 to 17 age group, where 29 per cent experience it, 69 per cent do not and 2 per cent have no opinion.

Females are more likely to experience peer pressure, with 23 per cent saying they do, 73 per cent that they do not and 5 per cent having no opinion.

Among males 19 per cent experience peer pressure, 78 per cent do not and 3 per cent have no opinion.

Similarly younger people are most likely to experience pressure from their friends. Overall 15 per cent of people experience this, 83 per cent do not and 2 per cent have no opinion.

Some 22 per cent of the 15 to 17 age group experience it compared to just 8 per cent of 23 to 24 year-olds. Some 76 per cent of 15 to 17 year-olds do not experience it while 92 per cent of 23 to 24 year-olds do not.