Fat feedback: readers of Men's Fitness and Shape sound off on the state of our collective waistl

Unless you've been hiding out in e giant box of Krispy Kremes for the past 15 years, you know America is undergoing a fat attack. But how is it actually effecting you? To find out, we teamed up with Shape magazine, our sister publication, and surveyed more than 16,000 men and women for their thoughts on fat in the U.S.A. Here are 10 of the most significant things we learned.

10. It's our own fault. Surprisingly, most respondents blame no one but themselves for their ever-increasing pants size. An average 82% of the men and women we surveyed agree: It's America's poor eating habits and lack of exercise that's responsible for our gains in girth. And though we are usually quick to blame corporate America for anything, just 3% of Shape and MF readers credit the advertising and marketing of unhealthy foods for the country's weight gain.

9. Men are more accepting of fat than women. Forget the stereotype of women being kinder and more compassionate than men. Men are 50% more likely to say that fat people are discriminated against than women are. And women are harsher in their assessment of fat folks: Nearly 83% of the women in our survey said the obese gained weight as a result of being lazy.

8. It's not you--it's your fat. Being chubby may be the ultimate relationship killer. Six percent of the men we surveyed said they've ended a relationship based purely on a woman's weight. In what could be an odd karmic twist, a further 6% of men say that they've been booted out of a relationship because of their weight. (Unfortunately, we're guessing these are two different groups of guys.) In this scenario, women were a lot kinder: Only 3% of our 8,000 female respondents said they, too, have dumped a guy because of the spare tire 'round his middle.

7. Do it in the dark. You're more likely to get some action with the lights off. Nearly one in two women say they've avoided sexual situations because they were uncomfortable with their bodies. And body image isn't just an issue for the chicks: A full 24% of men in our survey--nearly one out of every four guys we talked to--have also avoided sex because of fears over what she'll think of their body.

6. Face first. When asked, "What do you look at first on a member of the opposite sex," an overwhelming number--80% of women and 67% of men--went with "the face." The second-most popular area to scope out, for both men and women? The chest, although men were twice as likely to ogle a woman's breasts than women were to check out a man's pecs.

5. We want to lose ... Most guys may not think of themselves as being overweight, but everybody wants to lose some excess poundage. A surprising 76% of MF readers would like to lose at least a few pounds, while more than 50% of MFers want to lose between five and 20 pounds. (As for the other 24% of guys out there, they're looking to either gain weight or maintain their existing poundage--lucky bastards!)

4. ... but we still don't get it. Despite 76% of men in our survey claiming they want to lose weight, a surprisingly large number of guys have not made any significant changes to their diet--especially when compared to the changes most women have made in their efforts to battle the bulge.

3. Motivation is not a manly trait. At least that's the message from the 46% of guys who say it's a lack of motivation that's to blame for their inability to lose weight. The next biggest killer to a guy's fitness routine? Lack of time. Eighteen percent of guys say there just aren't enough hours in the day for them to squeeze in both work and exercise.

2. We're still looking for that miracle pill. It's guys--not women--who keep the supplement industry afloat. Twenty-eight percent of men spend more than $20 a month on weight-loss supplements, while an additional 38% of men spend at least a few bucks on pills and shakes every month.

1. Fat's OK anywhere but in the bedroom. While three out of every four women polled were willing to be in a relationship with a man who was overweight--and even willing to marry him--the same is not true for men. A full 35% of our respondents refuse to be in a relationship with or marry a woman who's overweight. Perhaps that's why 44% of women say that their weight has held them back in relationships--while just 24% of men feel that way.

Our Favorite Body Parts
of the Opposite Sex

        Men   Women

Face    67%    80%
Chest   13      7
Butt    11      5
Legs     6      3
Arms     3      5

Why America Is Overweight

Not enough time to work out/inconvenience    8%
Lack of health knowledge                     7%
Marketing & ads for unhealthy foods          3%
Lack of exercise                            28%
Poor eating habits                          54%

Note: Table made from pie chart.

Percentage of Shape and MF
Readers Who Have ...

                                 Men   Women

Adopted a more balanced diet     47%    70%
Cut calories                     52%    61%
Stopped eating processed foods   26%    46%
Cut their fat intake             29%    43%
Cut carbs                        21%    33%
Stopped eating sugars            16%    22%

Note: Table made from bar graph.