Americans know they’re overweight and they’re not particularly happy about it. But that doesn’t mean they’re going to do much about it.

A new poll from Gallup finds that 31 percent of American adults say they are at least 20 pounds above their ideal weight. For men, the average ideal weight is 183 pounds; for women it is 139 pounds.

The great majority of that group (85 percent) estimates that they are overweight. And an even bigger proportion (90 percent) say they would like to lose weight. But only 48 percent say they are “seriously trying to lose weight.”

Keep in mind, those who say they are above their ideal weight do not necessarily consider themselves overweight in a medical sense. As the poll results reveal, for many people, the “ideal weight” is as much an aesthetic concept as a health concept.

For instance, among those who say they are between one and 19 pounds over their ideal weight, only 27 percent say they consider themselves overweight. While 58 percent say they would like to slim down, only 24 percent report taking meaningful steps to do so.

Women are more likely to believe they are at least 20 pounds over their ideal weight (35 percent) than men (29 percent). Those with annual incomes below $30,000 are also far more likely (37 percent) than those who make more than $75,000 (28 percent) to report the same thing.

The frequency with which Americans report being significantly heavier than ideal increases consistently with age for the first half-century of adulthood, with 21 percent of those between 18-29 saying they are 20 pounds above their preferred weight, compared to 40 percent of those between the ages of 60-69. However, it drops again later life — it’s only 27 percent of those over 70.

Married men (32 percent) are more likely to report being well above ideal weight than unmarried men (25 percent), but there is not a statistically significantly difference in weight perceptions between married and unmarried women, of whom 35 percent and 36 percent, respectively, report being 20 pounds above their desired weight.

Those who lack health insurance, those who receive coverage through a public program and those with private coverage are all equally likely to report being too heavy.

Instant Insights /

Americans want to lose weight, but not doing much about it

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