Two in three men are too fat A majority of fat men do not make any effort to lose weight Overweight men 'happy to be chubby' compared to women Two thirds of overweight women are trying to slim down Two thirds of men in Britain are overweight - but many are far happier carrying the extra pounds than women, figures reveal. Sixty eight per cent of men in their early 40s are either overweight or obese, compared to half of women in the same age group, researchers found. But 30 per cent of men believed they were "about the right weight," while only nine per cent of women were happy with their size. Jubbly and jolly: A majority of fat men do not make any effort to lose weight, a survey has found Men are thought to find it more socially acceptable to carry a few extra kilos - even though those in early middle age face a much higher chance of health problems connected to their weight. In fact, they were so blase about obesity that just 41 per cent of overweight men said they were making efforts to slim down compared to two thirds of women. The study was carried out by the University of London, which measured the body mass index of almost 10,000 in their early forties. Dr Alice Sullivan, of the university's Institute of Education, said: "People who are overweight or obese face a higher risk of many health problems, including diabetes and certain cancers. Making an effort: Two thirds of overweight women are trying to slim down compared to just 41 per cent of overweight men But carrying excess weight is far more socially acceptable for men than for women, and men will not respond to health messages about weight and obesity if they do not recognise that they are overweight. This is a particular concern given that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for men aged 35 and over. The researchers also found that men and women born in 1970 are more likely to be obese at 42 than those born in 1958 were at the same age - because of the rise of high-calorie ready meals, frozen foods and takeaways. At the same time, nearly a third of women and a quarter of men do no vigorous exercise in a typical week. Dr Sullivan added: "It may seem surprising that more men do vigorous exercise than women, even though they are more likely to be overweight or obese. This suggests that poor diet is a key factor affecting men's weight in particular.