In a study of 988 adults, by consumer analyst Mintel, it was found that almost half of Britons are tired of healthy eating campaigners telling them how to change their diet

The research found that 48% of people were fed up with being told what to eat and more than two thirds (69%) complained that because of ever changing expert advice it was hard to work out which foods were healthy and 58% said confusing labelling on food made it difficult to work out what was good for them.

It was also found that despite the widespread irritation with healthy eating campaigns, around half considered themselves to be overweight with the 15 to 24-year-old age group the most likely to think they were "about the right weight".

One factor behind the rapidly increasing levels of overweight and obese adults in Britain might be the relatively buoyant mood in the economy say the researchers. They found Brits to be a nation of sweet tooths, sweet products such as chocolate bars, cakes and biscuits made up three of the top four foods people see as their weaknesses.

James McCoy, senior market analyst at Mintel, says there are clearly a large number of adults suffering from chronic information overload when it comes to healthy eating issues and they may now be in 'switch off mode' when it comes advice.

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Grant said people should not be worried if they take the supplements as Vitamin D and calcium are not harmful, and there are no adverse effects, though calcium can be very hard to chew and swallow and may cause stomach upsets and indigestion.

But Professor Philip Sambrook of the University of Sydney, does point out that the Aberdeen study found only two thirds of people were still taking their pills after two years, and patients in this study were younger than in other research which had shown a benefit from taking vitamin D.

Jackie Parrington, deputy chief executive of the National Osteoporosis Society, says the results shows that the benefits of calcium and vitamin D as a treatment option to prevent further fractures are uncertain.

Parrington says better knowledge about what are the most effective types of drug treatments to give to people at certain ages is helpful, and older people who feel they are at risk of breaking a bone because of osteoporosis should consider eating a healthy, well mixed diet to ensure they get the full range of vitamins and minerals. She says they would encourage everyone to get vital nutrients from food rather than buying supplements. They should also discuss their risks with their GP.