The Odnoklassniki social network, together with the Mail Health and Mail News projects, found out whether Russians are satisfied with their physical shape, whether they plan to lose weight “by summer” and what methods they will use to achieve the desired result. More than 5 thousand people from more than 50 regions of Russia participated in the survey.
According to the survey, 12% of participants are satisfied with their physical appearance. The majority (63%) believe they have something to work on, and 25% are dissatisfied with their personality. At the same time, almost a third of the participants noted that they were noticeably overweight (more than 10 kg), and about another third were overweight (5-10 kg).
Overall, 60% of participants wanted to lose weight, regardless of the time of year. While 24% believe that it is possible to lose weight, but it is not necessary, and 15% are satisfied with their current appearance.
The survey also showed a gap between intentions and actual behavior. 29% of participants exercise regularly, 36% limit themselves to occasional activities (eg, walking or light exercise), 15% rarely exercise, and 20% do not exercise at all. The most popular types of activity include walking and Nordic walking (50%), home exercises via videos or apps (32%), and classes at a gym or fitness club (21%).
As for nutrition, 51% of survey participants try to eat healthy food, but sometimes they allow themselves to be unhealthy. Problems with diet and eating habits (overeating, irregular eating, etc.) were reported by 22%. Another 19% do not monitor their diet or restrict themselves, and 7% adhere to the principles of a healthy diet.
Speaking of ways to lose weight in the summer, 31% of participants chose an integrated approach – a combination of physical activity and dietary modifications. Another 28% plan to rely on diet or nutritional restrictions (for example, calorie deficiency or giving up sweets), 9% – only on training (cardio, strength training). Fast methods (detox, fasting, supplements) are considered at 2%.
Mel Health expert, endocrinologist and nutritionist Maria Elisena warns that “rapid weight loss before summer” can be harmful to health and often leads to weight gain. According to her, the safe rate of weight loss is 0.5-1 kg per week.
Among the factors hindering weight loss, participants most often cited lack of willpower (24%), difficulty sticking to a diet (14%), health problems (11%), and lack of time (10%). At the same time, 26% said that they did not see any obstacles on their way to getting in shape.
According to the OK social network, since the beginning of April 2026, users have been turning to materials in the “Health” section more often. Among the most popular are videos by Professor Vladimir Dadali on a balanced diet and simple healthy dishes, materials on how to adjust your diet during spring vitamin deficiency, as well as tips on how to reduce cravings for sweets.
On March 11, Russia celebrated Nutrition Day. This event aims to draw people’s attention to healthy eating. “Moscow Evening” talked with fitness trainer and nutritionist Artem Nikolshyn and found out which tips for losing weight work and which do not.