Failed Weight Loss Resolutions Leave Canadians Discouraged Annually: Felix Health
New survey by Nanos Research reveals focus on diet and exercise alone for resolution makers without factoring in biological components of weight
TORONTO, Jan. 8, 2025 /CNW/ - A new Nanos Research survey commissioned by Felix Health reveals that 60% of Canadians struggled to meet their most recent weight loss resolution, often experiencing frustration and hopelessness. Further, an estimated 14 million Canadians who said they aim to lose weight this year are planning to do so with diet and exercise. However, this doesn't take into account that up to 70% of weight can be determined by biology.1
With genetics and hormones proven to play a major role in weight management, many people relying exclusively on lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise alone will unfortunately make little progress on their weight loss goals. This can lead to frustrations that might cause Canadians to abandon them altogether. Reflecting this, 14% of respondents who didn't achieve their goal say they felt "resigned, ready to give up, and discouraged." These feelings coincide with what is known as "Quitters Day," falling on January 10 this year, in which most resolutions are abandoned.
"Weight loss resolutions often set unrealistic expectations," said Dr. Sean Wharton, Internist and co-author of the Canadian Obesity Guidelines. "And people attribute their failures to a lack of willpower. However, we now understand that willpower alone is not sufficient to achieve long-term weight loss, especially when considering that many biological factors like genetics and hormones play a crucial role in weight management."
Medical approach to weight loss
Medical weight loss treatments have emerged as viable tools to help people achieve long-term health improvements. According to experts and Obesity Canada's Guidelines, clinicians should consider these treatments, in conjunction with diet and exercise, to be the modern, medically-backed approach to weight loss.
Felix Health, a leading virtual care provider, is helping tens of thousands of patients through its medically-supervised weight loss program. About a third of participants reported they had already previously tried both diet and exercise to lose weight.
"Weight loss journeys can be filled with uncertainty, especially for those who haven't successfully lost weight or maintained weight loss with diet and exercise alone. Medically-backed options are available to Canadians who want to explore stigma-free and supportive methods to incorporate into their healthy lifestyles,"said Dr. Kelly Anderson, Felix's Medical Director.
"Participants in Felix's program self-report an average 6.8% body weight reduction in just three months, on par with clinical study outcomes. By addressing the biological factors alongside lifestyle changes, Canadians can break the cycle of unmet goals and frustration this year."
Discover more about Felix's expert-developed, on-demand care offerings for weight loss.
About Felix Health
Founded in 2019, Felix is a forward-thinking healthcare company dedicated to meeting the everyday health needs of Canadians. As a leading virtual care platform, Felix improves access to everyday healthcare, offering a seamless, stigma-free journey from diagnosis to prescription delivery and ongoing care. Over 1 million Canadians have sought out treatments from Felix aimed at menopause symptoms, birth control, weight loss, erectile dysfunction, acne, hair loss, and more. Learn more at www.felixforyou.ca.
Survey Methodology
Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,084 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between November 30th and December 4th, 2024, as part of an omnibus survey. The margin of error for this survey is ±3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
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FACT SHEET
The determinants of up to 70% of weight include biology and other external factors, signalling the complexities associated with weight loss. Weight loss proves elusive for Canadians and many cite that unfulfilled plans to lose weight have led to negative emotions. Key findings include:
1 out of 3 Canadians or an estimated 10 million Canadians have made a weight loss resolution in the past; most did not achieve their goal.
Among those who have made a weight loss resolution, close to three in five report they did not achieve their resolution (58%).
Those who did not achieve their goal most frequently say they felt:
- resigned/ready to give up/discouraged (14%)
- depressed/sad (12%)
- disappointed (11%)
In 2025, over two in five Canadians plan to lose weight despite past setbacks; those who plan on losing weight report they will use diet and exercise.
In 2025, an estimated 14 million Canadians plan to try again, underscoring the ongoing desire for long term weight loss.
Asked how they are planning to lose weight, over nine in ten say they will do so by changing their diet/eating better (93%), followed by exercise (80%).
Weight loss resolutions associated with a wide range of mostly negative emotions
Asked to list emotions that come to mind when they hear the words "weight loss resolution", Canadians most often say:
- anger/annoyance/frustration (20%)
- sadness/unhappy/depression/negative (16%),
- indifference/neutral/apathy/complacency (14%)
- hopeful/positive/optimism (13%)
- does not work/waste of time/impossible/futile (13%)
- difficult/struggle/hard to do/sacrifice/hopeless (13%)
Some of the top ways Canadians invested in their weight loss in 2024:
- Bought gym memberships (18%)
- bought supplements (10%)
- consulted dieticians or nutritionists (9%).
SOURCE Felix Health
Media Contact: Lucy Screnci, Santis Health, [email protected]
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