75 Latest Weight Loss Statistics [2023 ]

Processed foods and modern lifestyles have caused an increase in obesity. Here are 70+ weight loss statistics. Keep reading to learn more!

Ultra-processed foods and modern lifestyles have caused an increase in obesity worldwide. More people than ever are also trying to lose weight. We have gathered 70+ weight loss statistics to give you an overview of what’s going on in the world of weight loss and obesity.

Important Weight Loss Statistics

Weight Loss Methods And Strategies Statistics

#1. The most common weight loss method is exercising (62.9%), along with eating less food (62.9%), and followed by consuming more fruits, vegetables, and salads (50.4%) (CDC)

#2. Drinking more water, especially before meals, increases the metabolic rate by 30%, which is helpful with weight loss. (PubMed)

#3. According to the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) — the largest research study of people who’ve lost at least 30 pounds for at least a year — there are a few weight-loss strategies that are helpful in keeping the weight off:

90% of NWRC members exercise for an average of 1 hour a day
78% of NWRC members eat breakfast every day
75% of NWRC members weigh themselves at least once a week
62% of NWRC members watch fewer than 10 hours of TV a week

#4. 17.1 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 20 try to lose weight by following specific diets. (CDC)

#5. The virtual weight-loss market grew to $1.4 billion in 2019. The virtual weight-loss market is continuously growing, and it’s expected to grow by 6.6% each year until 2023. (Market Research)

Obesity Statistics

#6. 40% of adults in the U.S. have obesity and another 32% are overweight. (Eurekalert)

#7. Globally, more than 1.9 billion adults are overweight, out of which 650 million adults are obese. (WHO)

#8. 28.5% of elderly adults aged 65 and older were obese in 2019. (United Health Foundation)

#9. The cost of obesity is estimated to reach 5%-to-14% of health expenditures for 2020-2050. (Frontiers in Nutrition)

#10. The annual medical cost of obesity is estimated to be $149.5 billion. (PubMed)

#11. Out of all the OECD countries, Japan has the lowest rate of obesity (3.7%) which is considerably lower than the average of 19.5%. (OECD)

#12. Colorado has the lowest rate of obesity (22.6%) among U.S. states, and West Virginia has the highest rate (38.1%). (United Health Foundation)

#13. Obesity has been associated with various disorders, including stroke, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and many forms of cancer. (Loudcloudhealth)

#14. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. (BMC)

#15. Obesity is more common among lower-income individuals, those with less education, and some ethnic/racial minorities. (Wiley)

#16. The rise of obesity in the United States may slow or reverse the trend of increasing life expectancy (Wiley)

#17. Obesity is linked to many diseases such as stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and many other serious health conditions (CDC)

#18. Obesity causes 300,000 premature deaths each year in the United States. (Stanford Healthcare)

$19. Obese Americans spend on average $1,429 more in medical expenses than those who are not obese. (Medical News Today)

Exercise Statistics

#20. 25.6% of U.S. adults don’t exercise. (Statista)

#21. 37% of U.S. consumers use a step counter app regularly (Statista)

#22. 44% of Americans intended to increase their physical exercise in 2021. (MSN)

#23. 71% of weight loss supplement users exercise regularly, in contrast to 53% of non-users. (Statista)

#24. By exercising 200 minutes or more per week, you can lose significantly more weight than those who exercise 150-199 minutes per week. (National Library of Medicine)

#25. If you have bad nutrition, no amount of exercise will help you lose weight. (WebMD)

Weight Loss And Weight Gain During The Pandemic Statistics

#26. The COVID-19 pandemic will exacerbate the risk for weight gain especially among children. (Wiley)

#27. Surprisingly, 32.17% of the 19,903 people surveyed were able to shed weight during the pandemic (RunRepeat)

#28. According to a recent survey, 71% of Americans gained weight during the pandemic (RunRepeat)

#29. In 2020, 72% of Americans gained weight due to a lack of exercise. (WebMD)

Dieting Trends Statistics

#30. Nearly one-half (49.1%) of adults tried to lose weight within the last 12 months. (NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey)

#31. An estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet each year. (BMC)

#32. A higher percentage of women (56.4%) than men (41.7%) have tried to lose weight. (CDC)

#33. 24% of Americans believe that sugar is most likely to cause weight gain. (Statista)

#34. 80% of U.S. consumers try to include more fruits and vegetables in their diet. (Statista)

#35. By 2027, the worldwide weight management industry will be valued at $423.2 billion. (Strategyr.com)

#36. For the sake of losing ten pounds or more, 40 million Americans are willing to give up social media. (RunRepeat)

#37. Adults are willing to give up sex in 22% of cases, and 17% are willing to give up their favorite T.V. or streaming service if it means dropping 10 pounds or more (RunRepeat)

Weight Loss Products Statistics

#38. Americans spend $33 billion each year on weight loss products. (BMC)

#39. Americans spend about $2.1 billion a year on diet and weight-loss pills (including tablets, capsules and softgels.) (National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements)

#40. About 15 percent of adults in the U.S. have used a weight-loss dietary supplement at least once in their lives. (National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements)

#41. Of the adults who made a serious weight-loss attempt, 33.9% reported ever using a dietary supplement for weight loss. (PubMed)

#42. Losing weight is one of the top reasons people are into dietary supplements. (NIH)

#43. There are two types of weight-loss supplements: OTC supplements and prescription pills. (NIDDK)

#44. Some weight-loss supplements have more than 90 ingredients. (NIH)

#45. Online sales of weight-loss supplements reached $504 million in 2018 and accounted for 36% of the overall virtual weight-loss market.

#46. One in 10 people uses weight-loss supplements for 12 months or longer. (NCBI)

#47. 69% of weight loss supplement users maintain a healthy weight, compared to 66% of non-users. (Statista)

Weight Loss Demographics Statistics

#48. 14.8% of U.S. high school students are obese. (Statista)

#49. 7% of children and adolescents have a total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL or above. (Dietary Guidelines for Americans)

#50. Approximately 74% of adults are overweight or obese. (Dietary Guidelines for Americans)

#51. Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, and the number is growing. (Worldometers)

#52. Roughly 10% of the world is overweight. (Time Magazine)

#53. The countries with the largest populations of obese children are the United States and China. (Forbes)

#54. At 1.2%, Bangladesh has the lowest obesity rate in the world. (Forbes)

#55. Today the average adult is 3x more likely to be obese than the average adult in 1975. (Metrocosm)

#56. Half of girls obese in their teenage years will be extremely obese in their 30’s. (Healthy Women)

Weight Regain Statistics

#57. Within 2 years, people tend to regain more than half the weight they initially lost. (Medical Clinics of North America)

#58. Within 5 years, people tend to regain about 80% of the weight they initially lost. (Medical Clinics of North America)

#59. 80% of people who shed a significant portion of their body fat will not maintain that degree of weight loss for 12 months. (Scientific American)

#60. Of those who go on diets, 95% fail and go on to regain weight in 1-5 years. (Monte Nido)

Weight Loss Success Statistics

#61. 20 percent of people who are overweight are successful at losing weight and keeping it off. (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

Weight Loss Improving Your Health Statistics

#62. Just a 5% weight loss can lower your cholesterol and triglycerides. (WebMD)

#63. Those who lose between 5-10% of their body weight are less likely to have cardiometabolic risk. (Science Daily)

#64. Weight loss helps to improve B cell functions. (National Institute of Health)

#65. Losing 5% of your body weight can improve your insulin sensitivity. (NBC News)

#66. Obesity puts a burden on the adrenal gland, which is the gland that manages allergies. So losing weight may help improve allergies. (Everyday Health)

Weight Loss And Mental Health Statistics

#67. In the workplace, obesity costs Americans $3.38 billion in productivity every year. (CDC)

#68. Many cases of obesity are caused by depression, binge eating disorder, PTSD, and other medical health disorders. (Clinical Advisor)

#69. People with mental health issues die 25 years sooner than those without mental health issues due to obesity-related issues. (Psychiatry Advisor)

#70. Kids with obesity face a higher risk of depression during adulthood. (CBS News)

#71. A study of 1,300 psychologist’s patients showed the biggest hurdle to weight loss was overcoming emotions. (Mark’s Daily Apple)

#72. 80% of people with mental health issues are obese. (CDC)

#73. Small dietary changes that promote weight loss have a positive effect on mental health. (American Psychological Association)

#74. People with obesity are 25% more likely to develop mood disorders like depression. (Everyday Health)

#75. Over one third of of obese men and women in treatment for weight loss have a mental health issue with binge eating. (MentalHealth.net)

Bottom Line

It’s important to be aware of these statistics so that we can make our health a priority. Some of these statistics are truly shocking. Being aware of the stats and the trends is the first step. Now that you are aware, you can take action in your own life. If you found these stats helpful, please feel free to share!