Men are just as keen as their female counterparts to embark on healthy eating regimes, new research conducted for Jenny Craig shows.

Figures gathered by One Poll show that seven out of ten men started dieting this month, compared to eight out of ten females.

''Guys are becoming more conscious than ever about their appearance and have got to the stage where they don't want to sit back and pile on the pounds," explained a Jenny Craig spokesperson.

They added that the New Year is traditionally a time for people to think about their diets and consider how they can switch recipes for healthier alternatives.

However, men were found to be more inclined to go to the gym than women in order to lose weight.

An article for the Canadian Press recently urged people to consider eating "healthy sin foods" in order to help combat post-Christmas cravings.