Fat groom boom: Australia’s men refusing to shape up for big day

It’s a familiar scenario. An engagement is announced and within weeks, kilos are being shed left, right and centre…by the bride. But what about the groom? Are Australian men making any effort to look their best for that trip down the aisle?

Well, if the results of a recent study carried out by Jenny Craig are anything to go by, it won't be the bride blushing on the big day. The survey asked 800 men between the ages of 18-65 whether they intended to shape up for their wedding and a miniscule 1.5 per cent said they would. Given the growing obesity problem in the country it’s not because all our men are fit as a fiddle. Over 35 per cent admitted that they needed to shed between 10-20 kg.

The men questioned stated that the love of eating outweighed the desire to diet and nearly one quarter said that food was one of the few joys in their life. Not particularly encouraging for future brides-to-be…

But if waddling to the alter wasn’t worrying enough, US research shows that newly married men gain around 10kg in five years. Newly weds are far more likely to eat out more, cook bigger meals and relax together than head to the gym. According to Jenny Craig's managing director Amy Smith, singletons on the other hand, have more of an incentive to stay slim — ie: finding a date.