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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.
For most Americans, weight is more than just a number. It shapes our health, our mood, our confidence, our spending, and the decisions we make in our day to day lives. In fact, 75% of us think about our weight every single day, and 14% say it’s constantly on our minds.
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At Hims & Hers, we know that health is personal, which is why we focus on making high-quality, affordable personalized health and wellness solutions to our customers. Along with prioritizing a high standard of safety and medical expertise, we make sure we know what our customers care most about when they are on their health journey. We look to understand what people worry most about, and feel best about, when it comes to their health and wellness. This is why we created The Shape of America, an in-depth look into how Americans feel that weight loss is redefining our bodies, culture, economy, and more. The 2024 Report leverages data from a nationally representative survey of Americans, along with insights from our own Hims & Hers experts, uncovering behaviors, trends, and realities about weight loss in America, while also taking a look at what’s ahead for wellness in 2025.
Here are some standout insights American’s shared:
85% of Americans believe at least one major aspect of their life would improve if they lost weight, from living longer to having better sex
83% of Americans are not the weight they’d like to be
81% say they’d save money on household expenses if they lost weight
79% would rather be incredibly fit than incredibly famous
77% are interested in trying a weight loss method they haven’t tried yet
70% would rather lose 10 pounds than gain 100 friends
59% agree, or somewhat agree, that their entire life would improve if they lost weight
54% say their mood fluctuates with the number on their scale
47% of Americans try to lose weight yearly (9%), seasonally (13%) or constantly (24%)
42 lbs is how much weight on average Americans would like to lose
For many, managing one's weight shapes their mental health as much as their physical health. In fact, 85% of individuals with obesity say their weight has had a direct and negative impact on their day-to-day life as compared to 60% of survey respondents overall. This affects how people spend their time, what they spend their money on, and so much more. For example, of the Americans surveyed, those with obesity are 50% more likely than individuals without obesity to skip work based on their weight, as well as 2.5X more likely to withdraw from activities, social plans, and goals.
In recent years, we’ve seen the cultural sentiment around bodies shift. Today, the Body Positivity Movement has 72.2M posts on TikTok and Body Neutrality has nearly 175M. With this progress though, we’re still seeing Americans judge both themselves and others based on our shape – 68% of Americans agree that, “People say they are body positive and accepting of all sizes but I don’t believe they are being honest. People’s bodies are judged.” And Gen Zs in the survey reported experiencing more body stigma, shame, and trauma than other older generations, 54% of Gen Zs say they have felt, or currently feel, inferior to other people because of their weight vs. 44% of respondents overall.
As said though, sentiment is changing. There is more focus than ever before on longevity and increasing our healthspan, or the period of our lives that we spend in good health. Weight stability, or body sustainability, is recognized as a first stop in increasing life expectancy and stretching out our healthy years. 85% of respondents said at least one aspect of their life would improve if they lost weight. Living longer topped Boomers’ lists and came in second among all respondents.
Americans are looking for solutions that work, 74% have weight maintenance on their mind, either actively (29%)1 or passively (45%)2. And the top desire for a weight loss plan, according to Americans, is “That it’s simple to follow.”
We know that weight loss is not one-size-fits-all. Along with our comprehensive, personalized weight loss offering at Hims & Hers, we know it’s important to continue a positive dialogue about everyone’s unique experiences. From mental health, to weight loss, to everything in between, we celebrate every aspect of their wellness journeys.
See the full report here to find out more about how people are thinking about weight in America today.
Survey Methodology
To capture sentiments about how weight shapes America, we conducted a nationally representative online study among 5,000 adults 18+. The survey was fielded in October 2024 and findings were analyzed by 60 demographic and psychographic criteria, including age, gender, race, and geography as well as various psychographic profiles, such as people who identified as having overweight or obesity, or those who were using GLP-1 medications.
In addition to the quantitative study, we moderated five, 45-minute Zoom interviews with weight loss experts, including Hims & Hers medical professionals and health and wellness influencers with diverse opinions on weight loss and wellness.