U.S. Weight Loss and Nutrition Statistics: Findings From 1,000 People

Findings from a survey of 1,000 respondents on food choices, nutrition challenges and eating habits while trying to lose weight.

AmBari Nutrition surveyed 1,000 people in the United States who were actively trying to lose weight.

The survey covered food costs, protein intake, hunger, GLP-1 medication use, nutrition products, and food preferences.

Key Findings

70.5% said food costs made following their weight-loss plan harder.
59.9% said more affordable food would make eating for weight loss easier.
50.8% selected high protein among their three most important food features.
49.8% reported cravings or hunger affecting how much they ate in the past 30 days.
48.7% selected high prices as the main reason they stop buying a food or nutrition product.
41.6% bought or used protein shakes in the past three months.
25.5% did not know or track their daily protein intake.
35.9% of GLP-1 users reported low appetite affecting their eating, compared with 14.6% of non-users.
56.9% of GLP-1 users bought or used protein shakes, compared with 36.2% of non-users.
31.7% of GLP-1 users wanted more lunch or dinner options, compared with 8.4% who wanted more protein-drink options.

1. Food Costs and Weight Loss

70.5% Say Food Costs Make Weight Loss Harder

Of the 1,000 respondents, 42.0% said food costs made following their weight-loss plan somewhat harder, while 28.5% said a lot harder. Another 28.5% said food costs had not made it harder, and 1.0% were unsure.

59.9% Want More Affordable Food Options

More affordable food was the most requested improvement at 59.9%, followed by better taste (32.9%), more variety (29.5%), more high-protein options (27.9%), and more ready-to-eat foods (27.0%).

Other requests included better snack options (22.2%), meal plans or recipes (18.0%), and more low-sugar foods (16.7%).

48.7% Say Price Is the Main Reason They Stop Buying Nutrition Products

Nearly half of respondents (48.7%) selected high prices as the main reason they stop buying a food or nutrition product. Poor taste was second at 14.7%, followed by getting bored with the product (9.0%) and too much sugar or carbohydrates (8.5%).

Another 7.3% rarely stopped buying products that worked for them, while 4.9% selected digestive problems.

2. Protein Intake and Challenges

50.8% Say High Protein Is a Top Food Priority

High protein was selected by 50.8% of respondents as one of their three most important food features. Taste followed at 43.4%, price at 39.6%, low sugar at 31.0%, and low calories at 30.4%.

Other priorities included low carbohydrates (21.9%), high fiber (21.3%), convenience (18.0%), and foods that are easy on the stomach (15.8%).

25.5% Don't Know How Much Protein They Consume Daily

One in four respondents (25.5%) did not know or track their daily protein intake.

Another 24.3% reported consuming 40–59 grams daily, 20.9% reported 60–80 grams, 17.0% reported under 40 grams, and 12.3% reported more than 80 grams.

Overall, 41.3% reported consuming less than 60 grams of protein daily. These figures are self-reported estimates.

19.8% Say High-Protein Foods Cost Too Much

Cost was the most common challenge with getting enough protein, selected by 19.8% of respondents. Another 17.8% did not know how much protein they needed, while 14.3% reported getting bored with protein options.

Preparation time was the main problem for 8.2%, followed by low appetite (7.0%) and feeling full too quickly (6.8%). Meanwhile, 16.5% said getting enough protein was not difficult.

3. GLP-1 Users and Nutrition Challenges

Of the 1,000 respondents, 262 (26.2%) reported currently using GLP-1 medication, while 738 (73.8%) did not.

35.9% of GLP-1 Users Report Low Appetite Affecting Eating

Low appetite affected 35.9% of GLP-1 users during the previous 30 days, compared with 14.6% of non-users.

Feeling full quickly was reported by 30.2% of GLP-1 users and 11.2% of non-users. Constipation affected 22.1% of GLP-1 users compared with 10.7% of non-users.

Cravings or hunger were more common among non-users (54.3%) than GLP-1 users (37.0%).

16.8% of GLP-1 Users Say Protein Is Their Biggest Nutrition Problem

Getting enough protein was selected as the biggest nutrition problem by 16.8% of GLP-1 users, compared with 6.5% of non-users. GLP-1 users were about 2.6 times as likely to select this problem.

65.6% of GLP-1 Users Prioritize High-Protein Foods

High protein was selected as one of the top three food priorities by 65.6% of GLP-1 users, compared with 45.5% of non-users.

This represents a difference of 20.1 percentage points.

56.9% of GLP-1 Users Recently Bought or Used Protein Shakes

More than half of GLP-1 users (56.9%) bought or used protein shakes in the past three months, compared with 36.2% of non-users.

Protein-shake use was 20.7 percentage points higher among GLP-1 users.

31.7% of GLP-1 Users Want More Lunch and Dinner Options

Lunch and dinner meals were the most requested food category among GLP-1 users, selected by 31.7%.

Grab-and-go foods followed at 19.0%, breakfast at 13.7%, desserts or sweet foods at 13.4%, snacks at 9.2%, and protein drinks at 8.4%.

Although 56.9% of GLP-1 users recently bought or used protein shakes, only 8.4% wanted more protein-drink options.

These comparisons show associations, not evidence that GLP-1 medications caused the differences.

4. Hunger, Cravings and Eating Problems

34.3% Say Cravings or Hunger Are Their Biggest Nutrition Problem

Cravings or hunger were the most common nutrition problem, selected by 34.3% of respondents.

Portion control came second at 15.0%, followed by getting enough protein (9.2%), expensive food (8.8%), finding quick and easy foods (7.7%), and constipation or digestive problems (6.0%).

Another 5.8% selected not knowing what to eat, while 5.0% reported getting bored with food.

49.8% Experienced Cravings or Hunger in the Past Month

Almost half of respondents (49.8%) reported cravings or hunger affecting how much they ate in the previous 30 days.

Lack of energy or time to prepare food was second at 33.1%, followed by low appetite (20.2%), feeling full quickly (16.2%), constipation (13.7%), other digestive problems (12.2%), and nausea (11.8%).

Another 9.5% reported none of these experiences.

5. Nutrition Products and Purchasing Habits

50.5% Recently Bought or Used Vitamins or Supplements

Vitamins or supplements were the most commonly selected products, used by 50.5% of respondents in the past three months.

Protein bars or snacks followed at 45.5%, protein shakes at 41.6%, low-sugar foods at 38.1%, and electrolyte or hydration drinks at 37.1%.

Other products included high-fiber foods (35.4%), soups (30.6%), ready-made meals (29.9%), low-carb foods (28.9%), and meal replacements (11.3%).

Only 5.5% reported using none of the listed products.

6. Food Preferences and Missing Options

29.8% Want More Lunch or Dinner Options

Lunch and dinner meals were the most requested food category, selected by 29.8% of respondents.

Grab-and-go foods followed at 17.8%, breakfast foods at 13.1%, snacks at 12.1%, and desserts or sweet foods at 11.4%.

Protein drinks were selected by 5.1%, while 9.2% said they already had enough food options.

7. Nutrition Knowledge and Advice

82.7% Feel Confident About Their Food Choices

Most respondents felt confident about knowing which foods were best for their weight-loss goals.

A total of 60.4% said they were somewhat confident, and 22.3% were very confident. Another 14.6% were not very confident, while 2.7% were not confident at all.

12.3% Rely Primarily on AI for Nutrition Advice

Nearly one-quarter of respondents (24.5%) said they primarily relied on their own judgment for nutrition advice.

Google or other websites came second at 18.2%, followed by dietitians or nutritionists (14.3%).

AI tools such as ChatGPT and doctors or surgeons were each selected by 12.3%. Social media accounted for 8.4%, and 5.9% relied on friends or family.

8. Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes Findings

Of the 1,000 respondents, 172 (17.2%) reported having diabetes or pre-diabetes.

77.9% Say Food Costs Make Weight Loss Harder

Among respondents reporting diabetes or pre-diabetes, 77.9% said food costs made their weight-loss plan harder, compared with 69.0% of other respondents.

Another 36.0% of those with diabetes or pre-diabetes said costs made it a lot harder, compared with 26.9% of others.

Price was selected as a top-three food priority by 46.5% of respondents with diabetes or pre-diabetes, compared with 38.2% of others.

High protein was selected by 41.3% of respondents with diabetes or pre-diabetes, compared with 52.8% of others.

These are descriptive comparisons. Some respondents also reported GLP-1 medication use.

Methodology

AmBari Nutrition surveyed 1,000 U.S. participants through Prolific between September 28 and October 13, 2026. All participants were screened to confirm they were currently trying to lose weight.

The survey covered food costs, protein intake, GLP-1 medication use, eating habits, nutrition challenges, and product preferences.

Responses were counted and converted into percentages. For questions allowing multiple answers, percentages may add up to more than 100%.

The survey included 262 respondents who reported using GLP-1 medications and 738 who did not.

All answers were self-reported. The findings reflect the experiences of the survey participants and are not nationally representative. Group comparisons do not establish cause and effect.

About AmBari Nutrition

AmBari Nutrition is a family-owned business with nearly 30 years of experience in medical weight loss and bariatric nutrition.

The company provides high-protein, low-sugar and portion-controlled foods for bariatric patients, people managing diabetes, GLP-1 medication users and those following medical weight-loss programs.

Its products include protein shakes, bars, snacks, and nutritional supplements.

AmBari Nutrition conducted this survey to better understand the eating habits, nutrition challenges and food preferences of people trying to lose weight.

Media & Citation Use

Findings from this report may be quoted, referenced, or republished by media outlets, publishers, researchers, businesses, and other organizations with attribution to AmBari Nutrition and a link to the original report at:

https://www.ambarinutrition.com/blogs/health-and-weight-loss-journal/us-weight-loss-nutrition-statistics

Charts and graphics from this report may also be republished with attribution to AmBari Nutrition.

Suggested citation: AmBari Nutrition, U.S. Weight Loss and Nutrition Statistics