Poll: People Would Rather Change Diet Than Exercise to Lose Weight

A study from January 21, 2018 reports that more Americans would rather change their diet (46 percent) than exercise more (44 percent). Among these findings, more women (51 percent) would rather lose weight through dietary efforts. Likewise, more people from the northeast and mid-west would change diet before lacing up their running shoes. ¹

Why Americans Don’t Exercise

There could be a number of reasons for this. Many Americans feel strapped for time, and others feel that a new workout routine would be inconvenient or physically difficult. A 1997 Wall Street Journal survey reported that 40 percent of Americans quote lack of time as a bigger problem than lack of money.²  A more recent poll in 2008 finds that 54 percent of Americans “do not have enough time to do what they want to do.”³ This could mean that it’s hard for the average American to find time to go to the gym, or even take a daily walk.

In a 2017 study, more than three-quarters of Americans reported that being in shape and looking good were “very important” to them, yet only 31 percent make exercise a regular habit. Forty-five percent admitted to never exercising at all. ⁴

Diet Impacts Weight Loss More than Exercise

No matter the reason for not exercising, not enough Americans are sweating each week, but there’s no cause for despair. Studies suggest that diet can have a more immediate and long-lasting effect on weight loss than exercise. While every American should talk to their doctor about starting an exercise routine, diet and caloric intake is more important when it comes to shedding pounds.

A 2011 meta-analysis studied the relationship between physical activity and body mass in children. They found that exercise alone may not be the key determinant in unhealthy weight gain in children. The main culprit may be high-calorie diets.⁵

To anyone who’s had a good workout, it should come as no surprise that exercise increases appetite. It’s the body’s way of replacing the calories it just lost, hence the increased drive to eat.

The Ketogenic Diet and Weight Loss

To those Americans who don’t want to hit the gym, there is encouraging news. Plenty of studies show that the ketogenic diet can help with rapid weight loss – and it can also help keep the weight off in the long-term.

The ketogenic diet was found to lower hunger, caloric intake, and greatly increase weight loss in a four-week period.⁶ Furthermore, people who adhere to a ketogenic diet achieve greater weight loss in the long-term than those who stick to a low-fat diet.⁷ A study of overweight adolescents shows that the ketogenic diet helps with short-term weight loss and an improvement in healthy cholesterol levels. This leads nutrition scientists to conclude that a ketogenic diet is a great tool in aiding weight loss.

So if you don’t feel like swimming laps or punching a bag, there’s an alternative. Put down the fried food. Pick up an avocado. It matters what we put into our bodies, and studies confirm this now more than ever before.

Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD

This article has been medically reviewed by Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD.

Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD is an aesthetic medicine specialist whose work focuses on patients who are treated for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other weight-related issues through nutritional analysis, keto diet programs, and supporting medications.

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Rebecca McCusker

Rebecca has been freelance writing since she was eighteen years old, and she is especially passionate about health and wellness topics. She lives in the Ohio countryside with her husband and two Australian Shepherds, and when she's not writing, she's playing piano and guitar in her folk-rock band, Linden Hollow.

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