A new study has identified why many men struggle with weight loss, finding that traditional diet programmes are often perceived as too restrictive and primarily aimed at women.
The research, published in the journal PLOS One and led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in England, is the first academic study to investigate men’s motivation for losing weight, their personal experiences and the weight-loss approaches they find most appealing.
The latest NHS England figures show that 70% of men in England are either overweight or living with obesity, compared with 62% of women, and the findings from this new study highlight the public health need to ensure weight-loss support is tailored to men's experiences and attitudes.
The research involved interviews with 24 UK males, aged 30 and over, who had experience of being overweight. Participants had either previously taken part in a weight-loss programme or were planning to lose weight in the near future.
It found that the men often associated dieting with being denied the food they enjoy, and they were reluctant to commit to approaches they saw as requiring significant sacrifice. One participant said: “I think diet is a very negative word because as soon as you mention the word diet everybody automatically thinks restriction, restriction, restriction.”
A recurring theme across all focus groups was the perception that dieting is a largely female-focused activity. Participants described dieting conversations as more commonly associated with women, often through social media and magazines, and a view shared by most participants was that they would feel self-conscious and uncomfortable engaging themselves.
One said that dieting is “part of that conversation because now it’s social media pressure. And it’s there in the magazines and stuff, whereas it’s not the topic of conversation primarily for men”.
The study found that men were more likely to reject a diet programme if it was seen as female-focused or too restrictive. However, the participants responded more positively when it was framed as a competitive challenge or an activity shared with their partner.
Support from spouses emerged as a key factor in helping participants maintain long-term engagement with weight-loss efforts, with one participant saying: “For me, it was having the support of my wife. Without that, I wouldn't have done it.”
In fact, many of the participants said their dietary changes were largely orchestrated by their partner, who they saw as having greater knowledge and experience of dieting.
The researchers suggest that programmes tailored towards men may be more effective if they focus on visible progress and elements of challenge or competition, rather than traditional dieting messages, and could also incorporate sport or other forms of physical activity.
Co-lead author Justin Roberts , Professor of Nutritional Physiology at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: “Obesity is a major public health issue, so we wanted to evaluate adult male perceptions and experiences of weight-loss initiatives and also understand the support mechanisms used by men when targeting weight loss. This is the first time an academic study like this has been carried out.
“We found that for weight-loss programmes to appeal to men, they should involve quick-wins, early rewards and a degree of social competitiveness around aesthetic gains, ahead of health-specific requirements. This could involve sport or physical challenges, perhaps focused on strength or stamina.
“Terminology should avoid ‘diets’ and ‘dieting’ and instead frame weight loss as a positive personal challenge. Our findings also suggest that initiatives aimed at couples could be particularly effective. The support of spouses was found to be especially helpful, while participants also found having a ‘buddy’ or mentor was also beneficial.
“At the same time, we recognise the limitations of this current study. Future studies involving larger and more diverse groups, including men in same-sex relationships, could offer further insights into men’s weight-loss behaviours and support needs.”
The full article will be available at the following link from 2pm Eastern Time / 7pm UK time on 26 August: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0348158
PLOS One
Male perceptions and experiences of weight loss initiatives: Considerations for sustainable lifestyle practices
26-Aug-2026