BENGALURU: For many Bengalureans trying to lose weight, the biggest challenge is not the lack of motivation or time, but how affordable and easy it is to access unhealthy food.
A new nationwide survey has revealed that 46% of adults in Bengaluru believe the convenience and affordability of unhealthy food is the number one reason they are struggling to manage their weight. The finding comes from the India Weight Loss Survey 2025, conducted by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and Morning Consult, which surveyed over 1,000 Indian adults, including 213 from Bengaluru. In the city, 35% of respondents said they currently have excess weight, and a significant 89% reported having tried to lose weight at some point. Yet, only 27% were able to maintain weight loss long-term.
Several factors were cited as barriers to weight loss, such as lack of time for exercise (24%) and stress or mental health issues (15%).
On the contrary, the report highlights promising openness toward sustainable lifestyle changes. Bengaluru residents showed a strong preference for plant-based diets over drug-based weight loss approaches, with 66% saying they would rather try dietary changes than use injectable weight loss medication. More than half of respondents said they had heard of negative side effects, both while using the drugs and after stopping them. Around 53% believed that people regain most or all of the lost weight once the medication is discontinued.
Around 91% of Bengaluru respondents said they would consider trying a plant-based diet if it helped reduce the risk of chronic diseases with only two of the most cited reasons for wanting to lose weight. Although only 1% currently follow a fully plant-based diet, 42% have previously experimented with permanent diet changes, including removing meat, dairy, or other processed foods, the report said.