What’s your diet personality?

Understanding your food triggers could be the key to ditching calorie counting for good.

- EVA-MARIA BOBBERT

Every spring, I face the same seasonal conundrum. The relief of throwing off those heavy winter layers is quickly derailed when shirt buttons bulge or zips on a dress halt at the bra line. Somehow, those winter kilos have stealthily crept on.

According to new research by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), it's because I'm mostly a Craver one of six main diet personalities - so any willpower to resist comfort food goes out the window when the mercury drops.

"Cravers identify strongly as having difficulties with temptations and thoughts about eating," says Dr Emily Brindal, a human behaviour specialist for CSIRO. "We've also seen cravers report having more discretionary foods." This is a revelation to me - I'd assumed everyone substitutes sweets for sunlight to take the bite out of the colder, shorter days in winter.

More than 245,000 people took part in the CSIRO Diet Types study to help scientists understand behavioural and emotional characteristics that help or hinder our waistlines.

"By knowing the strengths and weakness of each personality type, you can put in place strategies to engage with the strengths and support the weaknesses," says dietician Pennie McCoy. "No foods are off limits for anyone, but really understanding what makes you 'you' can help to adapt what you like to eat and your habits around food."

A five-minute quiz (totalwellbeingdiet.com) is all it takes to nail down your dominant food personality. Most people, it turns out, are Thinkers whose overactive mind can trigger overeating when under stress.