Women 'Want Free Liposuction'

More than 40% of women would have liposuction while one in five would go for “stomach stapling” if the procedures were free, a survey showed today.

Most women are currently on a diet (60%) even though only 38% think diets work, according to the poll of 5,000 females across the UK.

One in five had taken slimming pills in the past while a further 23% said they would like to try them, the research by online service provider AOL found.

Free liposuction would be taken up by 42% of respondents, while 19% would not think twice about “stomach stapling” – surgery to reduce the size of the stomach so you feel full after eating a small amount.

Just 16% of women had tried the controversial Atkins diet and half of those said it did not work.

Four in 10 said they would like to shed at least two stone, and nearly one in five (18%) had been dieting for as long as they could remember.

More than half (56%) blamed themselves for being overweight and 22% said they “hate everything” about their body.

Sheila Sang, editor of AOL’s Women’s channel, said: “Liposuction, slimming pills and the like are short term measures that are ultimately not going to bring people long term happiness.

“It’s a shame, although not surprising that so many women in the UK feel under such pressure to achieve the perfect body.

“It’s a symptom of living in a world obsessed by image and celebrity.”