Quick fixes, diet myths and misinformation: survey reveals why we struggle to lose weight and keep it off
Study reveals more than half of UK adults (56%) say they’ve followed a fad diet* in an attempt to lose weight. Of those, 71% didn’t get the weight loss they wanted and 11% said they actually gained weight during the process
The good news is 93% of Slimming World members surveyed say that since joining the evidence-based programme, they feel better equipped with the tools and strategies needed for long-term weight loss
The online survey of more than 2,000 adults[1] commissioned by the UK and Ireland’s largest weight-loss organisation Slimming World, found more than half of UK adults (56%) say they’ve previously followed a fad diet to try to lose weight.
Of the 1,123 adults who had tried a fad diet, almost three quarters (71%) reported they didn't lose any weight or didn’t lose as much weight as they wanted[2], and 11% gained weight.
More than a third (38%) of UK adults who’d tried a fad diet say they found it on social media and 35% said they could only stick to it for up to six days.
The prevalence of fad diets – promoting rapid weight loss without robust scientific evidence to support them – means they can be hard to ignore for people keen to lose weight quickly.
The poll shows nearly four in 10 (38%) UK adults feel they’ve wasted their time scrolling on social media for quick weight loss solutions.
While consumers are often bombarded with ‘miracle’ trends and claims of quick fixes, the survey reveals 44% of UK adults say they wouldn’t research a new weight loss method to gauge its effectiveness before deciding to follow it, leaving them open to diet disappointment.
Almost half (46%) of UK adults surveyed who tried a fad diet said they were looking for a quick fix, with 57% of those saying they wanted to improve their appearance and 45% saying it was to improve their self-esteem. Nearly two thirds (64%) of those surveyed who wanted to improve their health said they were aware they may not have been able to stick to the diet long term, meaning the improvement to their health would likely be limited.
And sadly, more than a quarter (27%) of UK adults who’d tried to lose weight by following a fad diet said they believed weight loss could only be achieved through restrictive or extreme diets.
It's easy to fall for quick fixes when social media is flooded with misinformation, especially when we're desperate to lose weight. When it comes to lasting weight loss, we can see from our research how important it is to follow an effective, healthy and sustainable approach.
The most common fad diets people have tried include:
- Weight loss supplements (29%)
- Apple cider vinegar (21%)
- A juice diet (19%)
- Skinny tea (16%)
- Vitamin water (15%)
- Cabbage soup diet (14%)
The survey, carried out independently by Censuswide, also polled members of Slimming World’s 13,000 community weight loss groups and online programme. Demonstrating Slimming World's effective package of support for long-term weight loss, 93% of members questioned say since joining Slimming World they feel more equipped to make the lasting changes they need as they have the right tools and strategies to help them with their weight loss journey.
Slimming World’s approach supports members to change their mindset around food with its healthy eating plan, which encourages members to base their food choices around everyday foods that are filling yet low in calories, such as fruit, veg, lean meat, fish and seafood, pasta, rice, potatoes and eggs. The flexibility and generosity of the eating plan means it fits in easily with your lifestyle and you can still eat the food you love. Members, who attend a weekly group or access support online, also receive in depth help and encouragement to change often long-standing eating and activity habits.
It’s completely understandable people want to believe there’s a miracle quick fix to weight loss, but quite simply there isn’t one. Losing weight and keeping it off isn’t easy, it requires change, which can be challenging. That’s why choosing an evidence-based approach and making sure you have support along the way, is so important. Staying on track and committed until your efforts become everyday habits is the secret to long term weight loss. Getting support to do that is exactly what Slimming World provides – and has done for 55 years.
Choosing a plan that helps you make mindset and lifestyle changes can be much easier to stick to, as shown in a study published in Clinical Nutrition Open Science[3]. The study found three in four respondents who received support in building healthy habits at a weekly Slimming World group were lighter up to three years after joining, even if they’d stopped attending.
*Fad diets – promoting rapid weight loss without robust scientific evidence to support them – can be hard to ignore for people keen to lose weight quickly. Popular ones include plans where you eat a very restrictive diet with few foods or an unusual combination of foods.
[1] The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,004 nationally representative consumers across the UK (aged 18+) along with a self-selecting sample of 1,380 Slimming World members via Slimming World’s member website. The data was collected between 19.07.2024 - 24.07.2024. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
[2] Responses include those who lost weight initially but regained more weight than before when stopping
[3] Published in Clinical Nutrition Open Science
Slimming World was founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell OBE in Derbyshire in 1969 and has become the UK and Ireland’s leading weight loss organisation with more people choosing to attend a Slimming World group each week than any other weight loss programme. We support hundreds of thousands of people, both in our groups and online, to lose weight and to adopt new habits to stay slim for life.
Over the years our founding principles haven’t changed:
· Our unique programme is based on a powerfully motivating support system called IMAGE (Individual Motivation and Group Experience) Therapy. Underpinned by a deep understanding of the psychology of overweight people, and incorporating the most effective sustainable behaviour change techniques, IMAGE Therapy is designed to inspire and motivate slimmers to make positive changes and to develop new, healthier habits around food and physical activity.
· Food Optimising is our healthy eating plan, based on the liberating concept of Free Food. We encourage our members to fill up on those foods that are naturally lower in energy density (calories per gram) and also highly satisfying while limiting foods that are highest in fat and sugar and are less satisfying, so they lose weight without ever feeling hungry or deprived and without having to weigh, measure or count everything they eat.
· Our physical activity support programme, Body Magic helps members to overcome any barriers around exercise. Members choose when to start and they set the pace, finding activities they genuinely enjoy, until regular physical activity becomes an intrinsic part of their daily routine.
At the heart of everything we do lies our passion for treating every member with genuine care, empathy and respect.
We’re proud to work with the NHS, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), The Royal College of Midwives, Diabetes UK and others to help shape the future of weight management in the UK and Ireland.
For more information about Slimming World’s approach visit slimmingworld.co.uk or slimmingworld.ie
Follow Slimming World on Instagram @slimmingworld or become a Slimming World fan on Facebook at facebook.com/slimmingworld
For the Press Office visit our newsroom or email public.relations@slimmingworld.co.uk