Kiwis find smoking more unattractive in a partner than a criminal past, a study has found.
A Shosha survey of 1000 Kiwi adults found that being a smoker was the least attractive trait in a partner (38 percent) than those who have had a criminal past (28 percent).
This is compared to 21 percent of Kiwis who said having bad breath was the most unattractive feature and 5 percent who said having bad skin.
Kiwis are more tolerant of dandruff, with only 2 percent considering it the most unattractive feature.
Psychologist Sara Chatwin said Kiwis find smoking offensive because it "flies in the face of the emphasis we put on good health".
"The odour of smoke hangs around on skin and clothing and that's pretty unattractive," she said.
"I think the smell has a lot to do with it too, people are reluctant to want to kiss a smoker as they may not enjoy the taste, similarly addiction or dependence is not attractive for many people."
The impact of the COVID-19 lockdown has increased habits which impact negatively on a healthy lifestyle.
During lockdown, 46 percent of Kiwis say their alcohol consumption increased, 45 percent say they were overeating more, and 39 percent were smoking more.
When asked what habit they are most likely to change, 38 percent of Kiwis responded with overeating.
Excessive consumption of alcohol followed, with 13 percent saying they would like to change this habit - followed by workaholism (12 percent), nail-biting (12 percent) and smoking (10 percent).
However, 31 percent of adults said they had no habits they want to break.
Chatwin said the increase in bad habits during New Zealand's COVID-19 lockdown were all coping mechanisms that were easy to hide while being stuck at home.
"Kiwis have had more time on their hands and their anxiety levels seem to have increased so many looked for these things to provide them with some comfort during the trying times," she said.
"People tend to be resistant to change and often allow bad habits to kick in during times of stress."
