Women 'spending more on clothes than on food'

A celebrity fashion website has uncovered a worrying trend among UK women in which they are willing to sacrifice food for buying clothes.

A poll by MyCelebrityFashion.co.uk found that 49 per cent of the women they asked spend more on looking good than they do on eating and 18 per cent spend over half their wages each month on clothes and accessories.

Worryingly, 28 per cent of the women questioned said they think this kind of swap is good because it keeps their weight in check, prompting a new phrase, 'fashiorexia'.

Perhaps surprisingly, the trend was not just prevalent among the very young - 56 per cent of 31 to 40-year-olds said they spend more on fashion than eating.

Jill Tovey, spokesperson for MyCelebrityFashio.co.uk, said the findings show that fashion is still a thriving industry and that people are still searching for bargains despite the credit crunch.

"With regards to fashiorexia, I and MyCelebrityFashion would never advocate eating unhealthily for the sake of fashion, and believe in balance," she added.

Recent research from ReallyWorriedAboutDebt.co.uk found that UK debt has risen by over £3,000 per person in the last three years, to an average of £26,644.

It also emerged that many Britons will never be able to pay back what they owe.