At least eight in 10 Irish women feel that their confidence is linked to how much they weigh and one in five is not confident at all about their body or appearance, a new survey has found.

According to the findings, the biggest problem area for women who are not confident about their body or appearance is the tummy.

The survey also noted that one in five women feel that their issues surrounding weight are linked to the pressure to have a ‘celebrity body'. Women living in Leinster feel this pressure from the media the most.

Meanwhile, even among those who are more confident with their bodies, over half readily admit it does not take much for them to lose their confidence.

As a result, just over half of women worry about their eating habits constantly and this is a source of anxiety for them. This is more common among younger women.

The survey also found that six out of 10 women do not have a balanced attitude when it comes to food, with almost two in three 25-35-year-olds admitting that they have a love/hate relationship with food.

The survey, which was carried out on behalf of Jacob's Crispbreads, involved over 500 women aged 18 and older.