BHF Scotland wants you to take its fundraising challenge
Choc figures show how many sweet treats Scots are munching through – and the lengths they will go to to hide their addiction.
More than a third (38%) of people in Scotland have lied to their partner about how much chocolate they’re eating, according to new statistics released as part of British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland’s new Dechox fundraising campaign, which challenges people to give up chocolate for the month of March.
The charity is setting the nation a challenge to join the UK’s first ever choc detox, calling on all chocolate lovers to give up their favourite sweets for a month to help save money, lose weight and raise money for life-saving heart research.
Dechoxers are encouraged to raise money by asking friends, family and colleagues to sponsor them to take on the challenge.
If you’ve got into the habit of eating a lot of chocolate then, giving it up for a month is a great way to get into healthier habits
They can also donate the money they’ve saved from ditching a cheeky chocolate bar at work or that naughty dessert at a meal out.
BHF Scotland found chocoholic Scots are going to extraordinary lengths to hide just how much they love their chocs.
Chocolate was voted the hardest thing to give up, with one in four (26%) saying they would find it more difficult to ditch than alcohol, caffeine or sex.
Over a third of Scots adults (35%) said they eat chocolate in secret on their way home from work while one in nine (11%) eat it behind the fridge door. One in six (16%) wait until their partner leaves the room.
Over two fifths of Scots (44%) said they have hidden chocolate wrappers to disguise how much they’ve eaten and 58% have such a sweet tooth they keep a secret stash of chocolate tucked away for emergencies.
Some of the most common chocolate hideaways are in desk drawers at work (20%) and bedside cabinets (14%).
The average chocolate eater in the UK consumes almost three chocolate bars a week – that’s more than 150 chocolate bars a year. Ditching this habit could have real health benefits and see chocolate lovers shed up to 11 pounds (5kg) in a year.
Tracy Parker, heart health dietitian at BHF Scotland, said: “It’s amazing the lengths we’ll go to so that we can hide just how much we love our favourite sweet treat.
“A bit of chocolate is fine in moderation but it should be a treat. If you’ve got into the habit of eating a lot of chocolate then, giving it up for a month is a great way to get into healthier habits.
“That’s why we’re calling on chocolate lovers everywhere to give up chocolate and get their friends and family to sponsor them to take on the challenge. By giving it a go you could not only kick-start a healthier new lifestyle but help us keep more hearts beating with our life-saving research.”
Find out more and sign up by visiting bhf.org.uk/dechox. Take part on social media by using #DECHOX and sharing your stories and tips for giving up chocolate.
