LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - Jul 18, 2013) - Despite the myth of some ladies nagging their partners to change, a new study suggests it is mature men who are most likely to be successful at sticking to New Year's resolutions. According to research⁽¹⁾ commissioned by Nationwide Building Society, around 27% of GB adults made a New Year's resolution at the start of the year, with those aged between 16-44 (40%) being more likely to do so than those aged between 45-64 (14%).

While, perhaps surprisingly, an overall 57% of those interviewed said they were maintaining all the resolutions they made six months on, the research suggested that, in fact, men were much more likely (64%) than women (50%) to have been successful at sticking with their New Year pledges.

Of those that resolved to make changes, slightly more were women (51%); with 46% of resolutions centred on paying more attention to weight, 24% to play more sport and 22% to improve finances. Other most popular resolutions this year* saw some of us commit to eat less chocolate, start our own business, learn how to use social media, tell someone we have feelings for them or even do a bungee jump.

The top three benefits cited by those who have kept up with resolutions were lost weight (42%), feeling fitter (37%) and saved money (27%). Those in London (37%), the South East (32%) and the North East (31%) have been most successful at saving money, while a quarter of those surveyed in the Midlands have been able to reduce their debts (25%). Those in the North East were most successful at losing weight (58%), while those in London had most benefitted from improvements in fitness (45%).⁽²⁾

Where resolutions have already fallen by the wayside, lack of motivation or will power were most often blamed (69%) with lack of money (22%) and lack of time (22%) also featuring prominently, for nearly a quarter of adults. Lack of money featured most heavily for those in London and the North East, but 84% of those in the Midlands suggested lack of motivation was at the route of their downfall.⁽²⁾

Alan Oliver from Nationwide said: "Maybe it's the tougher economic conditions we find ourselves under, but clearly Brits have greater resolve at sticking to their New Year's resolutions than many of us would have thought. It's good to see that saving money and improving finances not only features amongst the UK's original New Year's resolutions, but also appears to be standing firm with many people. Although it may not be as exciting as a bungee jump or as life-changing as keeping fit, getting your finances in order is good for the heart and the soul."