Healthy eating is not easy for many people, mainly because they do not find low-calorie foods satisfying enough, Mintel research shows.

The group discovered that 63 per cent of people who have dieted in the past three years have done so with the aid of reduced calorie foods.

However, 27 per cent admitted that they did not find the products filling, while a further 27 per cent said they ended up eating more as a result.

Vivianne Ihekweazu, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, said: "Consumers appear to be dispassionate about some aspects of the diet food sector, but demand is still there to be cultivated."

She highlighted that retailers need to rise up to the challenge they have been issued by offering a wide range of healthy eating products that will entice customers.

A recent article from Scotland on Sunday explained that people can find their mood is uplifted if they choose to eat the right foods.