Woman's Day / AOL Body Poll Reveals: Majority of Women Admit To Being Overweight and Ashamed of Their Bodies...

New York, NY and Dulles, VA – January 22, 2008- A majority (57%) of all American women admit to being overweight, while 30% state they are uncomfortable and ashamed of their bodies, according to a new poll from Woman’s Day magazine, http://www.womansday.com, and AOL Body, http://body.aol.com. However, if given the option, 78% would rather get a million dollar payout than have Jennifer Aniston’s slim physique. The new poll – featured in the February issue of Woman’s Day magazine hitting newsstands today – examines how American women feel about their mental and physical health, as well as views concerns about the nation’s health care system.

Body Image and Breaking Bad Habits
According to the findings, only 8% of those polled admitted to exercising on a regular basis, yet when asked what they most wish for, 37% stated to be thinner, followed closely by wanting more energy (31%) and better physical strength/stamina (26%). Surprisingly, only 6% stated to look younger. When asked what bad habit they are unable to break, 31% stated stressing out, topping not exercising (27%), eating junk food (25%) and smoking (17%).

Biggest Health Concerns
28% responded that cancer was their biggest health concern, while nearly one in four (24%) responded depression followed by heart disease (21%), diabetes (13%), Alzheimer’s (11%) and fertility issues (3%). Forty-two percent stated stress was the one thing that most negatively impacted their health followed by sedentary lifestyle/not enough exercise (25%), poor diet/junk food (23%) and poor sleep habits (10%).

Views on U.S. Health Care System
A majority (53%) stated they would forgo prescription medication if it were too costly, with a stronger majority (83%) stating they would be in favor of a universal healthcare system. Thirty-eight percent of those polled stated that they do not feel comfortable discussing their sex lives with their doctor, while one in four admitted that they have lied to their doctor about their medical histories. Forty-two percent stated they have used/tried alternative medicines or therapies.

*The Woman’s Day / AOL Poll was conducted on AOL.com from November 01, 2007- December 15, 2007

About Woman’s Day magazine
Reaching 21 million readers, Woman's Day is a newsstand leader in the women's service field selling an average of 1.4 million copies every three weeks.  Publishing 17 issues each year, the magazine covers topics common to all women -- health, fashion, home decorating, food, family, fitness, relationships, and entertainment.

About AOL
AOL is a global Web services company that operates some of the most popular Web destinations, offers a comprehensive suite of free software and services runs one of the largest Internet access businesses in the U.S., and provides a full set of advertising solutions. A majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. AOL LLC and its subsidiaries have operations in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Asia. Learn more at AOL.com.