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FIRST EVER UK SELF-CONFIDENCE INDEX...

Credit crunch affecting your confidence?  Not according to the UK’s first Self-Confidence Index*, which shows that basic factors like diet, age, gender and simply receiving a compliment, have a greater bearing on our self-esteem.  The results of the first quarterly Index on over 2,000 people, has found that although the country is going through a financial crisis, the main influences likely to affect the confidence levels of the nation remain those more associated with the self rather than linked to external factors like the economy.
 
With an average confidence level of 62% (on a scale of 1-100), the Index found that the number one event in the last three months to affect people’s self-confidence has been a change of diet, as indicated by 34% of the population.
 
As well as following a healthy diet, how people present themselves also has a significant impact on self-confidence with half of respondents claiming that by simply wearing an outfit that they know they look great in (45%) and by getting the right haircut (42%) they can feel good about themselves.  In fact, both men and women agreed that receiving a compliment on the way they looked was the number one route to increased self-confidence (52%). 
 
There was though a marked difference in the levels of self-confidence between men and women, with men exuding higher levels than women, 68% to 60% respectively.  Although the importance of appearance on confidence featured highly for both sexes, women rated the way they look with more importance than men, whose approach was more pragmatic, ranking their finances and love life as higher factors. 
 
Although the current economic climate has not contributed as much as might have been expected on self-confidence levels, it was highlighted by nearly 1 in 10 men, who have had their confidence knocked by the loss of a job.
 
The study also indicated that the over-50s have more esteem than their younger counterparts – scoring themselves an average confidence level of 70 compared to only 55 for those aged 16-24.
 
Self-Confidence Coach Jeremy Milnes commented: “It is no surprise that many of us value our appearance with such importance. We all like it when we know we are wearing something we look good in and to have this recognised by someone else can provide us with an instant self-confidence boost. For a more longer-term result, I really believe our inner self-confidence shines through when we take care of ourselves, both inside and out. It’s therefore great to see that good health and eating and drinking the right thing has a big impact on the way we feel, because we can do something about it.”
 
Finally when respondents were asked who they currently felt represented the greatest self-confidence champion, over half (51%) agreed that US president Barack Obama was the figure who exuded the most self-confidence.  Of UK figures strong-minded TV personalities Simon Cowell and Gordon Ramsey came out top.
 
 
* The research was carried out online by Tickbox.net/Opinion Matters between 14/05/09 and 26/05/09 amoungst a nationally representative sample of 2,242 UK adults aged 16+. Tickbox.net adheres to and follows the codes of the MRS (Market Research Society) and are fully registered and compliant with the Data Protection Registrar.

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