Despite the rise of GLP-1s, new data shows most Americans still struggle to turn weight-loss intent into action, a challenge that’s long plagued the fitness and wellness industry
As Americans head into another resolution season and gyms are about to become more packed, new Gallup data highlights an all-too-familiar and stubborn disconnect at the heart of the U.S. weight-loss conversation: the desire to shed pounds is widespread, but follow-through remains limited.
According to the latest West Health–Gallup Health and Healthcare Survey, 52% of U.S. adults say they would like to lose weight. Yet only 26% report that they are seriously trying to do so, despite an array of fitness options, wellness programs and rising use of GLP-1s.
For the fitness and wellness industry, the findings suggest that consumers’ lack of action has less to do with awareness or access and more to do with engagement.
Four in 10 Americans Say They’re Overweight
Gallup has tracked how Americans perceive their own weight since 1999, and the most recent survey, conducted Nov. 3–25, shows little deviation from long-running trends.
Half of U.S. adults (50%) describe their weight as “about right,” while 41% say they are very or somewhat overweight and 8% say they are very or somewhat underweight. This marks the eighth consecutive reading in which at least 40% of Americans report being overweight.
Women continue to be more likely than men to view themselves as overweight, with 43% of women saying so compared with 37% of men, a six-point gender gap that aligns with historical patterns.
Meanwhile, 30% of adults ages 18 to 34 report being overweight, compared with 44% of those ages 35 to 54 and 45% of adults 55 and older, figures that track closely with averages seen over the past 25 years.
Americans Have Adjusted Their Body-Image Expectations
The survey also tracks self-reported body weight, which has steadily increased over time.
Over the past five years, the average U.S. adult reports weighing 181 pounds, including 163 pounds for women and 198 pounds for men — figures that represent increases since 1990 of 20 pounds for all adults, 21 pounds for women and 18 pounds for men.
At the same time, Americans have adjusted their expectations of what an “ideal” body weight looks like. Gallup finds that ideal weight targets have risen by roughly 15 pounds since 1990.
Between 2021 and 2025, the average ideal weight reported by U.S. adults is 165 pounds, including 144 pounds for women and 185 pounds for men. In 1990, those figures were 149 pounds overall, 129 pounds for women and 171 pounds for men.
Desire Outpaces Effort, Especially Among Women
While a slim majority of Americans want to lose weight, 37% say they are content maintaining their current weight, and 10% say they would like to gain weight. Those proportions have remained largely steady since Gallup began regularly tracking the measure in 1996.
Women continue to outpace men in their desire to lose weight: 58% of women say they want to lose weight, compared with 46% of men. Still, only 30% of women say they are seriously trying to lose weight, compared with 22% of men. As a result, the gap between wanting to lose weight and actively trying to do so is slightly larger for women (28 points) than for men (24 points).
A Persistent Challenge for the Fitness Industry
Gallup’s bottom-line takeaway is blunt. Even as obesity rates show signs of decline and the use of GLP-1 medications rises, four in 10 Americans still describe themselves as overweight, and more than half say they want to lose weight. Yet only about half of those individuals are taking concrete steps toward their goal.
With a new year right around the corner, Gallup’s numbers point to a familiar challenge for gyms and wellness brands.
Addressing it can take many forms, including shifting the focus from transformation and “before and afters” to strength-building and energy, introducing maintenance memberships or shorter, lower-commitment formats like seven- or 14-day resets and adopting messaging that normalizes pauses and restarts.
Crunch Fitness is leaning into the new year with its “Feel More” campaign, featuring a throwback hit from the mid-90s that will resonate with millennials and Gen Z.
Beyond the fun and nostalgia, Crunch is hoping that the campaign can help spark the kind of stick-to-it-iveness many fitness consumers struggle to maintain.
“When people enjoy being at the gym and want to be there, they’re far more likely to stick with it past the first few weeks of the year,” Crunch chief marketing officer Chad Waetzig told Athletech News.“‘Feel More’ is about giving people that boost of energy and motivation right when they need it, so their New Year’s resolutions don’t fizzle out when the season ends.”
24 Hour Fitness, meanwhile, is leaning into personalization with its new “Results Your Way” campaign, highlighting personal training–certified general managers, remodeled clubs, expanded recovery zones and Pilates offerings that give members greater flexibility and choice.
