Food and fitness should join politics and religion as Christmas dinner table taboos according to new research. A survey of over 1,000 Aussies found that the majority (57%) think their friends and family are fed up with hearing about their new year’s diets.

This lack of perceived support may explain why the majority (58%) of Australians feel embarrassed about diets they have tried in the past.

The new data from the number one global nutrition and food tracking app, MyFitnessPal reveals that these distressed dieters might not be wrong, with 8 in 10 (80%) people saying they know friends or family who are going on new year’s diets they’ll never stick to.

Dietitian Susie Burrell who also holds a Master’s of Coaching Psychology, says:

“The data doesn’t tell us if dieting discussions end up in a food fight, but it does show us that if you want a motivating response, it’s best to look elsewhere.”

“Share your enthusiasm with groups and communities that share your passion for getting in shape and learning about healthy nutrition, be that the gym, fit friends, or online apps.”

MyFitnesspal is launching its Jumpstart Your Health programme which will coach users through the first 14 days of the year. The program offers access to the app’s 200 million strong community, to help users find their own fit friends.

To find out more about the Jumpstart Your Health program and help keep track of your nutrition and exercise, download MyFitnessPal on apple, Google and other android platforms.