Exercise, diet still top Britons’ preference for losing weight, despite NHS interest in weight loss jabs

A new Ipsos poll explores public attitudes towards weight loss, focusing on weight loss injections and planned weight loss strategies for 2025. The survey, conducted online among 2,161 British adults aged 18-75 from 13-17 December 2024, reveals a mixed picture of awareness, interest, and opinions surrounding weight loss treatments.

• Weight Loss in 2025:  Looking ahead to 2025, the most popular weight loss strategies among Britons are exercising more regularly (46%) and eating healthier food generally (42%). Just 3% say they intend to try weight loss injections, with one in five (22%) saying they don't plan to try to lose weight in 2025.
  
• Weight Loss Injection Usage: Despite the ongoing discussion surrounding weight loss injections, a significant majority (84%) of Britons are not currently using them and do not know anyone who is. Only 5% report personal use of these injections, while 9% know someone who uses them.
• NHS Provision of Weight Loss Injections: Public opinion is divided on whether the NHS should offer weight loss injections to people who are obese.  While 34% believe the NHS should offer them, 38% think patients should bear the costs themselves.
• Likelihood of Using Weight Loss Injections:  If weight loss injections were provided by the NHS, 22% of Britons say they would likely use them.  This percentage drops significantly to 8% if they had to pay privately at a cost of £180-£220 per month.  Among those likely to use weight loss injections, half (53%) say they would be open about their usage with others.

Kate Duxbury, Research Director at Ipsos Public Affairs, said:

This poll provides valuable insights into the public's approach to weight loss as we head into 2025. Traditional methods like exercise and healthy eating remain the most popular strategies for those trying to lose weight, with weight loss jabs attracting comparatively little interest – despite much discussion in the media over the latter half of 2024. Just 1 in 5 (22%) say they would be likely to take weight loss injections in the future if they were provided by the NHS – but while access via the NHS is limited, there is relatively low demand for buying them privately. Public views are mixed on the role of the NHS in providing weight loss injections, being unsure whether the NHS should be offering them, or expecting patients to pay for it themselves or go without.

Notes to Editors: 

• For media enquiries, please contact Jordana Moser at [email protected]. 
• Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 2,161 Online British adults aged 18-75 across Great Britain between 13-17 December, 2024.
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.