SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — A nationwide survey conducted by Roper on behalf of TransUnion, one of the three major credit reporting bureaus, has found that more Americans are concerned about losing excess body weight than are concerned about lightening their debt loads.
"While it's great to see Americans focused on their physical well-being, they should also remember the importance of continuing to manage their debt in the New Year," said Lucy Duni, director of consumer education for TransUnion's TrueCredit.com. "As mortgage delinquencies continue to rise alongside deteriorating housing markets and rising credit card interest rates, consumers need to monitor and manage their credit as well as their calories."
A 2003 poll showed 37% of consumers planning to pay down debt and only 29% concentrating on shedding some pounds.
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This year's poll also found that nearly 50% of those surveyed said losing 10 pounds would be very or somewhat difficult for them in 2007, while 31% say paying off all their credit card debt would be difficult.
The Mortgage Banking Association's National Delinquency Survey recently cited increases in mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures during the third quarter.
The survey also found correlations between age and attitudes about resolutions.
Other survey results included finding that those Americans 50 years of age or older are more than twice as likely to view losing ten pounds as more difficult than paying off all their credit debt. Also 33% of those aged 25-34 said paying down debt is their number one resolution while respondents age 35-49 are equally concerned with eating healthy and paying down debt, with 31% naming each as their top resolution.
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