What Makes Someone Want to Lose Weight?

This article is part of Verywell Health’s 2024 survey on obesity care. Read the full analysis of the key findings here.

Many people with obesity or overweight cite health concerns as a key reason for wanting to lose weight, according to a new Verywell Health survey.

We asked over 2,000 people who identify as larger-bodied, fat, overweight, and/or obese about their healthcare experiences and weight loss objectives. Nearly three-quarters (74%) respondents said they're currently trying to lose weight, while 89% said they’ve tried to lose weight at some point in their lives.

Almost half of respondents said they want to lose weight because of general health concerns, whereas 26% said they want to lose weight for reasons related to appearance. Only 14% said they want to lose weight for a specific health issue, such as high blood pressure.

Some respondents indicated a desire to improve their self-esteem or stop comments about their bodies. Others said they want to lose weight to have more energy and be healthier for their kids.

These findings suggest that while health is a major motivation for weight loss, it doesn’t tell the entire story. In fact, 53% of respondents say they’re in good or very good health. Societal pressure to be thin and personal circumstances can also play a significant role.

Silvana Pannain, MD, an associate professor of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, and the Obesity Medicine Director at the Center for Weight and Metabolic Health at the University of Chicago, said that the reasons for wanting to lose weight are varied and complex. However, patients seeking treatment typically fall into two categories.

“They’re either concerned about their health or they have done everything in their power but can’t lose weight,” Pannain told Verywell.

Where Does the Pressure to Lose Weight Come From?

Two in three survey respondents said they’ve been told by a doctor or healthcare provider to lose weight.

Among those who were told to lose weight by a healthcare provider, one in three said it was for a current health condition. About half of respondents instructed to lose weight said they were at risk for another condition, while 33% said they were told they had another condition because of their weight.

Still, not everyone gets an explanation from doctors. About 22% of respondents said their doctor simply said they needed to lose weight without providing a reason.

Interestingly, this nudging isn’t perceived negatively. The majority of respondents feel listened to when it comes to their weight and trust their doctor's opinions.

Weight loss suggestions from family and friends are less welcomed. Although most respondents believe these comments about their size are well-intentioned, a third find them unhelpful.

The Reasons Behind Weight Loss Can Influence Success

The motivation behind wanting to lose weight can impact the outcome, said Beverly Tchang. MD, American Board of Obesity Medicine Diplomate and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.

For example, if someone says they want to lose weight to be healthier for their child or if they’ve had a serious medical issue, they might be very motivated to succeed.

“People find motivation in having social relationships. They might be doing it for their spouse or their child, which can be a very strong motivator,” Tchang told Verywell. “That being said, I’ve also seen patients who have had a heart attack and realized they could have died from it, and now, they have a second chance at life and want to lose weight for themselves.”

These motivators are strong impetuses to start making lifestyle changes like dieting and exercising, but that’s not always enough. Pannain said there can be biological forces that limit weight loss in certain people and promote weight gain over time. Weight gain can also be due to hormonal dysregulation or metabolic factors, which are often out of people’s control.

That’s where advancements like new injectable medications come in. Obesity drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound work by helping control appetite and blood sugar levels. Pannain said that these treatments can counteract metabolic adaptation, significantly suppressing hunger.

“They’ve dramatically changed the chance of success of weight loss for patients,” she said.

However, only 21% of the respondents indicated they’ve tried prescription weight loss medication at some point. Millennials were most likely to have tried it.

Tchang said the efficacy of these drugs has shown providers that weight loss treatment can work in tandem with dieting and exercising. A balanced diet and regular exercise will always be the foundation of a weight loss plan, but medication or surgery can also be part of that plan.

“We have to realize lifestyle changes on their own have limited success for many people. On average, we see 3% weight loss in clinical trials on lifestyle changes over years,” Tchang said. “That points to the biological factors—the hormones that we might not have control over—that can drive weight higher than we want it to be.”