'Weight tax' costs Americans $12K a year as poll shows financial toll of slimming down

A recent poll highlights how the pursuit of weight loss has quietly become a costly, long-term financial burden for many Americans.

For many Americans, the cost of trying to lose weight extends well beyond the scale.

A new poll of 2,000 U.S. adults actively trying to lose weight found the average respondent spent $12,308 in 2025 attempting to reach their weight and BMI goals, highlighting what many describe as a quiet but persistent “weight tax.”

The research, conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Hims Inc., shows those expenses stretch across everyday life, from groceries to clothing and repeated diet and fitness efforts.

Respondents estimate they would save an average of $197 per month if they reached their target weight. Many believe those savings would come from buying fewer fast-food meals (56%), reducing grocery bills (52%) and purchasing fewer new clothes (31%).

Others point to reduced spending on specialty sizing such as “big and tall” clothing (26%), as well as lower healthcare costs tied to managing weight-related conditions (22%), which can include fewer doctor visits and lower insurance copays.