British women spend more on looks than fitness

LONDON - Women in Britain spend more cash on their looks than on their health and fitness.

The average bill for hair products, make-up and fake tan, in a bid to look young, comes up to 336 pounds ($532) a year. But, just 228 pounds ($360) is spent on vitamins and gym membership, a survey by health group Benenden Healthcare Society has revealed.

The statistics emerged after 3,000 women between ages 18 to 65 were quizzed on attitudes when faced with choosing between image or health, the Daily Express reported.

Nearly 19 percent admitted to crash-dieting and one in 20 resorted to laxatives to squeeze into tight-fitting apparel.

Three percent admitted to taking up smoking to shed a few pounds and 14 percent turned to diet pills. Four percent said they had suffered an eating disorder to look their best for a night out.