Kate Winslet and Nigella Lawson look so pleased

It is the most delicious news. Women are happiest with their lives and the way they look when they are a generous size 14.

Contentment, it seems, comes with curves. Perhaps that's why Kate Winslet and Nigella Lawson look so pleased with themselves.

In a poll of 3,000 women, size 14s rated their general happiness higher than any other female shape, with a quarter saying they liked their appearance.


Almost half said they were completely happy with their career, while a third rated their love lives as the best possible.

Second happiest, according to the research, were size 12 women, with almost three quarters saying they were totally satisfied with their friendships and almost half happy with their careers.

Size eights came third in the happiness poll, closely followed by those who wear a size 16 - the average dress size for British women. They, in turn, were followed by the slender size 10s.

But women who wear a size 24 or above didn't fare quite so well in the research carried out for Special K cereal.

Some 18 per cent of this group said they were extremely unhappy with their lives.

Only 4 per cent were happy with their work while more than one in ten admitted they were extremely unhappy in their love lives. Size 20s were second in the list of the unhappiest women followed by those who wear a size 22.


Larger ladies were not alone in their discontent. Size sixes were rated fourth unhappiest.

'It's great to discover that being a size zero doesn't necessarily bring you happiness,' said a spokesman for Special K.

'Our data shows that the curvier size 14 woman is much more comfortable with her shape and has a happier outlook on life.'

Kate Winslet, thought to be a size 10 to 12 but who has been a 14 as well, has long been a champion of well rounded women. She won a public apology and libel damages from a magazine which

wrongly reported she had visited a diet doctor. She said she hoped her success would show girls they did not need to be thin to be happy.

'I feel very strongly that curves are natural, womanly and real,' she has said.

'I shall continue to hope that women are able to believe in themselves for who they are inside, and not feel under such incredible pressure to be unnaturally thin. I have always been, and shall continue to be, honest when it comes to body/ weight issues.' Nigella Lawson criticised the 'great god of skinny' last year.

The TV cook, who is thought to be a size 16, said: 'I do think that women who spend all their lives on a diet probably have a miserable sex life: if your body is the enemy, how can you relax and take pleasure?'

Angelina Jolie is at the other end of the curve spectrum.

The Hollywood actress, thought to be a size 6 to 8, has been criticised for being too thin but remains unrepentant.

Bollywood's top young actresses

Here is a look at Bollywood's top young actresses, women in their 20s who look all set to take over the industry.



Kareena Kapoor
What can you say, she's still the queen. Even though her Tashan might have flopped, Kareena's still the icon for all things glamorous.

She's had a couple of powerhouse performances, so she knows how to turn on the acting nozzle when she needs it. Plus, she's dating the coolest of the Khans.



Katrina Kaif
Kaif is such an extreme dazzler that she's making a career out of not having to act.

Currently the 'lucky charm' in an extremely superstitious industry, Kaif is riding the wave of her stellar looks and a fab chemistry with reigning Kinng Akshay Kumar.



Priyanka Chopra
The curvy Punjabi lass might have struck out with sci-fi duds like Love Story 2050 and Drona, and let's not even mention a certain Bruce Almighty remake, but Piggy Chops has redeemed herself with Dostana, where she looks like a million yummy bucks. Nice.



Genelia D'Souza
Sure, so there's a chance Jaane Tu will be the biggest hit of her career, but what a hit it is.

And Genelia, sparkling, grinning, madcap Genelia, is the undisputed star of the ensemble, unlike other debutants usually overshadowed by the men.



Deepika Padukone
A stunning piece of work, Deepika may be acting cardboard so far, but if she continues to ratchet up hits, there's a chance she can turn into the next Katrina.

Add to that the fact that she's dating sureshot superstar Ranbir Kapoor, and all systems are 'go' for this tall gal.



Sonam Kapoor
Her first film has to rank among the biggest flops in movie history, considering its SRK-defying hype.

Yet while Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya was a debacle, the gorgeous Sonam got rave reviews, and there's enough buzz for her next film, Dilli 6. This one's here to stay.



Vidya Balan
There's a distinct likelihood that this doe-eyed woman would have been a few notches higher on this list if only she wasn't the most horrendous dresser.

Yet the Parineeta girl has doled out hits like Heyy Babyy and held her own in Lage Raho Munna Bhai, so she's definitely poised for an upswing. Let's just hope she finds a mirror.



Kangna Ranaut
A very unconventional beauty, the Gangster heroine isn't the sort that can slip into any role.

Her speech is distinctly peculiar, yet she's gamely managed to deliver performances in films like Metro and Fashion, and there's tremendous buzz about her upcoming Raaz 2.



Ayesha Takia
The only reason Bollywood's most statuesque leading lady -- who also happens to be among its most wholesomely innocent-looking, ironically -- isn't much higher up on this list is because we haven't seen her around lately.

She's a very fine actress, and we're looking forward to seeing her again in Nagesh Kukunoor's 8 By Ten, opposite Akshay Kumar.



Neetu Chandra
She started out as just another one of the Garam Masala bimbettes, but Chandra's really worked at her career, getting good notices for films like Traffic Signal.

And advance reviews for the upcoming Oye Lucky Lucky Oye mark her as a surefire talent to watch.