Soul App Reveals How Gen Z Is Redefining the Weight Management Journey

More than half of all adults in China are battling obesity, and if not controlled now, this figure could reach an even higher level. So, weight loss is still a hot topic in 2025, and Soul App, which is popular among the country’s Gen Z, wanted to know how youngsters are handling weight management goals and challenges.

The unique thing about Soul App, as a social networking platform, is that it not only serves as an outlet for sharing progress photos or fitness hacks, but also offers a safe space where young people articulate why they want to change their bodies, how they pursue those goals, and what they ultimately consider success.

So, the platform’s “2025 Young People’s Weight Loss Report” was in effect an effort to provide a snapshot of Gen Z’s shifting attitudes towards weight loss. For the survey, Soul App’s research division roped in nearly 2250 app users, mostly from post-95 and post-00 generations. The questionnaire was crafted to provide a rare inside look at how China’s youth perceive weight, health, and self-management in the digital age.

At the outset, Soul’s researchers observed that for many young people, starting the journey is as important as sustaining it, and the approaches they take vary widely. For example, of those surveyed, nearly 28% jumped right into the thick of things, starting their journey with calorie restrictions and/or physical activities.

But, around 20% needed a more symbolic start, and for this, they relied on “before” and “after” photos. For approximately 15%, the journey began with an investment that involved the purchase of sportswear, supplements, workout gadgets, or meal replacements.

About 9% chose to go with a public disclosure of their intention to shed the pounds, which was made through social media. Lastly, 10% opted for professional and structured guidance from doctors, fitness experts, dieticians, and clinics.

The variety of starting points is indicative of how deeply personal and yet socially performative weight loss has become. So, it came as no surprise when the #weightloss hashtag garnered nearly one million posts on Soul App by August 2025.

The survey revealed that while Zoomers are no doubt an enthusiastic lot, consistency eluded them as much as the older generations when it came to weight loss. For instance:

• Only about 26% managed to stick to their weight loss regimen long term.
• A mere 4.5% held strong for over a year.
• Nearly 60% admitted to abandoning their efforts within three months.
• Around 16% gave in after just a few days of starting their weight management journey.

This naturally leads to the question: but what made them give up? Well, food cravings were implicated in 30% of the cases. Around 20.5% blamed their failure to continue on emotional eating, while approximately 27% stated that their work and academic commitments left them with little time and energy for weight management plans. A further 22% said that lack of encouragement or external accountability eventually led them to quit.

When it came to actual weight lost, around 20% said that they managed to shave off around 10 kg, while 4.5% reported more dramatic outcomes exceeding 25 kg. Now, anybody who has tried to reduce their girth will attest that losing the pounds is one thing, but keeping them off is a totally different ball game.

The experiences of Soul App survey participants were no different in this matter. Nearly half of the respondents said that the pounds came piling back on within 3 months, while the rest reported that it took 6 months to 1 year, but the rebound did occur.

Soul App’s researchers observed that despite how taxing the weight loss journey is, Gen Z is more than willing to invest both time and money into the endeavor. On average, Chinese youngsters spend approximately 1500 RMB per year on their weight management pursuits.

Some of the survey respondents said that their weight management spending is in the vicinity of 5000 RMB per annum. At the same time, one in four survey participants said that they make do with very little to no monetary investment.

In terms of how much time is spent pursuing these weight loss goals, around 60% stated that they exercise three times a week and spend around 30 minutes per exercise session. Running emerged as the clear favorite when it came to the choice of physical activity. In general, women who participated in Soul App’s survey said that they preferred low-intensity exercise regimens like aerobics, while men showed an inclination for high-intensity routines such as gym training and hiking.

Furthermore, the responses received led researchers to two very optimistic findings. First, Soul App’s research team noticed that Gen Z has different definitions for weight management success as compared to older generations. For example:

• Around 44% of the surveyed youngsters said that they consider their weight loss efforts to be a success if these lead to an improvement in confidence.
• About 43% stated that better health metrics, such as clearer skin, favorable test results, and better sleep, are what they term as success.

As opposed to this, around 42% admitted that only an actual reduction in the figure they see on the weighing scale matters to them. The second and possibly the most striking finding of Soul App’s survey was that an increasing number of youngsters are relying on technology to bridge the gaps that personal willpower alone cannot fill.

A whopping 70% of the respondents said that they gained motivation through online interactions, such as discovering new tutorials (19.8%), drawing inspiration from success stories (14.8%), or finding workout partners (10.9%).

In other words, social platforms like Soul App are playing a pivotal role in Gen Z’s weight loss story. By offering a space where users can document progress, share struggles, and access AI-driven support, these apps have essentially become both mirror and mentor. And that is exactly what Gen Z needs.