Britons are the world's biggest fans of fast food, just ahead of Americans, while the famously gastronomic¹ French are the least attracted to quick meals, according to a study published last week.

The survey of 13 countries also confirmed growing concern over obesity² worldwide, but noted³ different priorities and strategies in different parts of the world for tackling it.

"People are inherently contradictory⁴ and nowhere is it more obvious than on such a sensitive and important issue as their weight," says Steve Garton of polling body Synovate, who produced the survey jointly⁵ with the BBC.

"The results show there's a world of people who cannot deny themselves that hamburger or extra piece of pizza, but probably make themselves feel better by washing it down with a diet cola."

In terms of fast food, 45 percent of Britons agreed with the statement "I like the taste of fast food too much to give it up" ahead of 44 percent for Americans and Canadians at 37 percent.

The French, long proud of their reputation for high-class cuisine⁶, strongly disagree: 81 percent rejected the statement, followed by 75 percent of Singaporeans and 73 percent of people from Romania.

"Britons love their fish and chips," Garton says.

"French people take care of their image as a matter of course. Being thin is part of our culture and a point of pride," he says. "On top of this there is increasing awareness⁷ of the devastation⁸ obesity can cause to one's health."

Overall the obesity problem is fuelling increasing concern worldwide - although some are more concerned than others.

Fifteen percent of French people and 12 percent of Americans weigh themselves every single day.

In terms of how to shed weight there are also different strategies. Globally most people say cutting food intake⁹ is the best answer, followed by 43 percent who do more exercise.

But there are regional variations: 57 percent of Americans, 56 percent of French and 54 percent of Britons cut down on food to shed weight, while 14 percent of Malaysians opt¹⁰ for herbs and supplements to cut their weight.

 
 上周公布的一项调查表明，全世界最爱吃快餐的是英国人，其次是美国人；而以高超烹饪技艺而著称的法国人最不喜爱快餐。

此外，该项针对13个国家的调查证实，世界各地的人们越来越关注肥胖问题，但各国对这个问题的关注程度和应对方法不尽相同。

该调查由Synovate民调机构与BBC联合开展。Synovate民调机构的史蒂夫•加顿说：“人天生矛盾，而在体重这个敏感重要的问题上体现的尤为明显。”

“调查结果显示，全世界的人们似乎都无法抗拒汉堡或皮萨饼的诱惑，但可能用杯减肥可乐将它们冲下肚感觉会好些。”

就快餐而言，45%的英国人选择的是“我太喜欢快餐的味道了，简直无法割舍。”；44%的美国人和37%的加拿大人同意该说法。

向来以高品位烹饪技艺而著称的法国人强烈反对这一说法，81%的受访者不同意该观点；新加坡和罗马尼亚的这一比例分别为75%和73%。

加顿说：“英国人深爱他们的炸鱼和炸薯条。”

他说：“法国人很注重自己的形象，这是件很自然的事。保持苗条的身材是我们文化的一部分，也是一种骄傲。此外，人们也越来越意识到肥胖给健康造成的危害。”

总体来看，全世界对于肥胖问题的担忧日益加剧，不过有些人对此尤为担心。

15%的法国人和美国人每天都称体重。

人们的减肥方法也不尽相同。从全世界范围看，多数人称节食是最佳减肥法，其次是运动减肥，43%的人选择运动减肥。

但同时还存在一些地域差别：57%的美国人、56%的法国人和54%的英国人通过节食减肥，14%的马来西亚人用草药和补品减肥。

Vocabulary:

as a matter of course:自然而然的；理所当然地

on top of:除……之外