Most New Year’s Resolutions Focus on Health

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According to Forbes, most New Year’s resolutions are about health and wellness, like diets, losing weight, and staying fit. In a 2023 article, Forbes editor Sarah Davis shared some interesting stats on how people set their resolutions.

A 2023 Forbes Health/OnePoll survey found these were the most popular goals for 2024:

  • Improved fitness (48%)
  • Improved finances (38%)
  • Improved mental health (36%)
  • Lose weight (34%)
  • Improved diet (32%)

The same survey also showed that fewer people chose resolutions like traveling more (6%), meditating regularly (5%), reducing alcohol consumption (3%), and improving work performance (3%).

Below are key highlights from the article on demographics and the typical duration of New Year’s resolutions:

  • Resolutions at a glance: A Forbes Health/OnePoll survey of 1,000 U.S. adults found that fitness is now the most common New Year’s resolution, overtaking mental health, which topped the list in 2023. While 80% of respondents feel confident they’ll succeed, only 20% plan to hold themselves accountable—a sharp drop from the previous year.
  • How many people make resolutions: A 2022 YouGov poll found that 37% of Americans made a New Year’s resolution for 2023, and 87% believed they were likely to stick with it. A separate 2020 survey showed that 18% of U.S. adults set multiple resolutions.
  • Resolutions by demographic: Younger adults (59%), parents (54%), and people who made resolutions the year before are more likely to set them again.
  • How long the resolutions last: Falling short is common, on average, resolutions last about 3.7 months. “Only 8% of respondents tend to stick with their goals for one month, while 22% last two months, 22% last three months and 13% last four months.” Goals that focus on taking action tend to be more successful than those centered on avoiding certain behaviors.

Sarah Davis notes that people don’t need a special moment like New Year’s to reset their goals—resolutions can be recommitted to at any time. June 1, known as “New Year’s Resolution Recommitment Day,” is a great opportunity to review progress and start fresh, she adds.

Dartmouth’s SMART goal

According to a 2023 Dartmouth Health, most of the new year’s resolutions are abandoned within months; their experts suggest understanding your goals and setting clear, actionable steps to achieve them.

Dr. Karl Dietrich, a family medicine provider at Cheshire Medical Center advises his patients to set achievable goals with measurable steps. He recommends the following SMART goal:

  • Specific: Well-defined, clear, and unambiguous.
  • Measurable: Make specific criteria to measure your progress.
  • Achievable: Attainable, not impossible.
  • Realistic: Within reach and relevant to your other goals.
  • Timely: A clear starting and target date.

Being honest and realistic with your goals helps you succeed in whatever you strive for—such as enjoying better health and well-being. At first, my patients often make resolutions that focus on the end result—completing a 5K, losing 10 pounds, sleeping 8 hours a night—without getting specific about exactly how they will do that. Focus your goals on the habits you want to stick with rather than just the results.

Setting vague goals like ‘be healthier’ doesn’t work well. It’s hard to tell if you’re accomplishing them and people tend to lose momentum. SMART goals are much more effective.

– Dr. Karl Dietrich on Dartmouth Health

Dartmouth Health adds that people should seek support from friends, loved ones, or health coaches to increase the likelihood of achieving their goals. Dietrich suggests making goals easier to achieve by removing obstacles and making healthy choices the most convenient option.

Acknowledgement: This summary was generated using AI writing tools as part of my experimental learning process. For more information, please refer to the original articles listed below.

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