The recession appears to be improving people's health, according to a survey commissioned by Friends Provident.
Tighter budgets and adverse credit ratings restricting borrowing power have seen 83 per cent of people change their eating habits, according to the Britain Under Pressure survey.
Nearly half of respondents (48 per cent) admitted to eating fewer ready meals or takeaways, while more than a quarter (28 per cent) admitted that they have been drinking less alcohol over the past 12 months.
The recession has also changed the type of exercise people do, with a fifth undertaking free methods of keeping fit rather than paying for it.
Commenting on the findings, head of protection at Friends Provident Mark Jones explained that the positives during the recession are "encouraging".
He said: "The financial pressures combined with personal motivation have led people to take a fresh look at their lifestyle and priorities. As a result, it looks like many have changed for the better.
"Changing habits to lead a more healthy lifestyle today may motivate them to continue this trend in the future."
However, there is still more families could be doing during the recession to lead healthier lives, with new figures from the British Heart Foundation indicating that only one in eight children manage to do the recommended 60 minutes of exercise every day.
