More than four in five women have been on a crash diet in the last year, according to a weight loss expert.

The study by fatfreefitness.co.uk found that 53 per cent of the women surveyed felt pressured to lose weight to appear 'more attractive'.

Rich Leigh, weight loss expert and founder of fatfreefitness.co.uk, said that crash diets worked only for a very limited time.

"A lot of older people still align themselves with this sort of diet," he said. "But as soon as you start eating normally again, your metabolism is lower and then you start putting on the weight."

Mr Leigh adds that with healthy eating and exercise people can expect to lose between two and four pounds a week.

Elsewhere, recent research has found that women looking to lose weight were more successful if they took regular exercise, wrote down what they ate and prepared food at home when possible rather than dining out, according to fitness training expert Nanci Hellmich.