Germans happiest to show bellies on holiday

Despite being among the heaviest in the continent, just 17 percent of Germans feel uncomfortable on the beach, compared with a 26 percent European average. British women feel least comfortable of all, with 50 percent saying they did not like being in their swimming gear in public.

The survey, conducted by YouGov pollsters for holiday portal lastminute.de, interviewed more than 7,000 men and women from six different European countries.

The most comfortable in their skins were the Spanish, with just 14 percent on average feeling uneasy on the beach. The Brits and Irish were the least easy going in their swimsuits and trunks, with 40 percent and 36 percent respectively saying they did not feel good showing their bodies to others.

Just over five percent of Germans said they went on diets before going on holiday to make their bodies more attractive, while nearly 12 percent said they took more exercise.

The Italians were most likely to take such measures, with nearly 17 percent going on a diet and just over 19 percent taking more exercise before their holiday. They were closely followed by Spanish holidaymakers, 14 percent of whom said they went on a diet beforehand, and nearly 21 percent of whom said they took more exercise.

The Local/hc