Poll Shows Most Americans Want to Slim Down

Key TakeawaysMore than half of U.S. adults want to lose weight, but only a quarter are actively trying toAverage weight has climbed by 20 pounds since 1990, remaking Americans' idea of the 'ideal'Women are far more likely than men to see themselves as overweight and express a desire to slim down.WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — As the New Year’s resolutions take center stage, a new nationwide poll shows that while a majority of American adults want to be thinner, only a fraction are doing anything about it.In all, 52% of Americans want to lose weight but just 26% are making a serious effort to do so, the new West Health-Gallup poll found.This struggle between "wanting" and "doing" has remained remarkably steady for nearly 30 years, pollsters said.For the eighth straight year, at least 40% of respondents said they were "very or somewhat" overweight (41%). About half considered their weight to be about right, and the rest described themselves as underweight.The poll underscores a long-term shift in how Americans view their bodies.Since 1990, average self-reported weight for U.S. men and women rose by 20 pounds to 181. Average weights were 163 for women and 198 for men.Interestingly, as Americans have gotten heavier, their "target" weights have crept up — from 149 pounds in 1990 to 165 today."As Americans have gained weight," Gallup said in a news release, "they have adjusted their expectations of what their ideal body weight is."Year after year, more women than men have described themselves as overweight — 43% to 37%. (One in 10 Americans polled said they'd like to put on some pounds.)There was an even bigger gender gap — 12 percentage points — in desire to do something about the excess pounds. In all, 58% of women said they want to lose weight, compared to 46% of men, a consistent difference since the early 1950s.The poll underscored ongoing generational differences, as well.In all, 30% of 18- to 34-year-olds polled described themselves as overweight, compared to 44% of those between 35 and 54, and 45% of respondents over 55.Despite the proliferation of new weight-loss drugs, the way Americans perceive their bodies hasn't changed much over the years, pollsters said."While the recent rise in use of GLP-1 drugs is linked to a notable decrease in obesity in the U.S., a steady 4 in 10 Americans still report being at least somewhat overweight, and more than half continue to say they would like to lose weight," they said in a news release. "Yet only half of those who want to lose weight are actively trying to do so."The telephone poll was conducted Nov. 3 to 25 among a random sample of 1,321 adults in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.It was conducted by a joint initiative called the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America.More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers tools and tips for weight management.SOURCE: Gallup, news release, Dec. 29, 2025.The 52% wanting to lose weight should look for resources to help them move from a goal to an active habit..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter