Nearly Half Say 'I Have a Body Type That Easily Gains Weight'! The Most Common Time to First Notice This Tendency Is 'From Teenage Years' at About 41%

■ When do people start feeling they have a body type prone to weight gain?

"Recently, I gain weight just by eating a little bit," "Even though I live the same way as when I was young, I somehow can't lose weight."

Many people likely have such feelings.

The tendency to gain weight or retain water is said to be related to various factors such as age, lifestyle habits, and constitution. The time when one starts to feel "prone to gaining weight" and the underlying causes differ from person to person.

Therefore, this time, in collaboration with Kampo Mizudo, we conducted a survey on "body types prone to weight gain" targeting 500 men and women nationwide.

*When citing the content of this press release, please comply with the following:

・State that the source is "a survey by NEXER Inc. and Kampo Mizudo"

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Survey Overview: "Survey on Body Types Prone to Weight Gain"

Survey Method: Internet-based questionnaire

Survey Period: May 11, 2026 – May 14, 2026

Survey Target: Men and women nationwide

Valid Responses: 500 samples

Question Items:

Question 1: Do you think you have a body type prone to weight gain?

Question 2: Please tell us the reason.

Question 3: When did you start feeling you were "prone to gaining weight"?

Question 4: What do you think are the causes of your tendency to gain weight? (Multiple choice)

Question 5: Do you ever feel you are prone to water retention (edema)?

Question 6: Please tell us the reason.

Question 7: What measures have you tried to improve your tendency to gain weight or retain water? (Multiple choice)

Question 8: Have you ever used Kampo (herbal) medicine for weight gain or water retention?

Question 9: Please tell us the reason.

*Note: Figures are rounded to the second decimal place, so totals may not equal 100%.

■ 49.0% Responded "I Think I Have a Body Type Prone to Weight Gain"

First, we asked respondents if they think they have a body type prone to weight gain.

As a result, 17.4% said "I think I am very prone to gaining weight," and 31.6% said "I think I am somewhat prone to gaining weight," totaling 49.0% who feel they have a body type prone to weight gain.

On the other hand, 25.6% said "I don't think I am very prone to gaining weight," and 25.4% said "I don't think I am prone to gaining weight at all."

This means approximately 1 in 2 people are aware of their tendency to gain weight.

So, why do they feel this way?

We asked for the reasons, and here are some examples.

Please tell us why you feel you are prone to gaining weight.

・Because I gain weight immediately when I eat a lot. (Female, 20s)

・When I overeat, my weight increases quickly and is hard to lose. (Male, 20s)

・Because I gain weight right away if I eat a little more than usual. (Female, 30s)

・Because my basal metabolism is low. (Female, 30s)

・After giving birth to my second child, my constitution seemed to change; I felt I gained weight easily and couldn't lose it. (Female, 40s)

Many comments indicated a feeling that "weight gain is highly responsive to the amount eaten."

There were also mentions of life stage changes like decreased basal metabolism and childbirth, suggesting multiple overlapping factors behind the tendency to gain weight.

■ The Most Common Time to Start Feeling "Prone to Gaining Weight" Is "From Teenage Years"

Next, we asked those who responded that they think they have a body type prone to weight gain when they started feeling this way.

The most common response was "From my teenage years" at 41.2%.

This was followed by "From my 30s" at 24.1%, "From my 20s" at 15.9%, "From my 40s" at 14.3%, and "From my 50s or later" at 4.5%.

While over 40% became aware from an early age in their teens, nearly 40% started feeling this way in their 30s and 40s.

It seems that many people become aware of changes in lifestyle and declining metabolism during their working years.

■ The Top Cause of Weight Gain Is "Lack of Exercise"

We also asked what people think causes their tendency to gain weight.

The most common answer was "Lack of exercise" at 59.6%.

This was followed by "Decreased basal metabolism due to aging" and "Poor diet or overeating" tied at 47.3%, "Stress" at 24.1%, "Genetics or constitution" at 23.3%, "Hormonal imbalance" at 14.3%, "Lack of sleep" at 11.4%, and "Poor circulation or feeling cold" at 10.2%.

The top three items are all closely related to lifestyle habits.

The cycle of having fewer opportunities for exercise due to busy daily life and overeating is a concern for many people across all age groups.

■ 28.2% Responded That They Sometimes Feel Prone to Water Retention (Edema)

Next, we asked if they ever feel prone to water retention.

As a result, 8.6% said "Often," and 19.6% said "Sometimes," totaling 28.2% who feel prone to water retention. 34.8% said "Not very often," and 37.0% said "Not at all."

This means more than 1 in 4 people are conscious of water retention in their daily lives.

We asked for the reasons, and here are some examples.

Please tell us why you feel you are prone to water retention.

・I notice swelling, especially after meals. (Female, 20s)

・Because sock marks remain on my legs. (Female, 20s)

・I feel like my calves and face are puffy. It feels like my blood circulation is poor. (Female, 30s)

・Sock marks are clearly left on my ankles. (Female, 30s)

・If I maintain the same posture for a long time, like standing or sitting at work, my lower body tends to swell. (Male, 40s)

Many comments mentioned noticing water retention in everyday situations, such as "sock marks remaining" or "my legs feeling swollen in the evening."

Various factors like work styles involving prolonged static posture and diet seem to be involved.

■ 40.5% Responded "I Haven't Tried Anything in Particular"

We also asked what measures people have tried to improve their tendency to gain weight or retain water.

The most common response was "I haven't tried anything in particular" at 40.5%.

This was followed by "Exercise or training" at 36.6%, "Dieting or dietary restrictions" at 29.9%, "Supplements" at 10.9%, "Massage or beauty salon treatments" at 10.2%, "Use of Kampo (herbal) medicine" at 3.9%, "Over-the-counter medications" and "Other" tied at 2.5%, and "Treatment at a hospital or clinic" at 1.4%.

Over 40% of people are concerned but have not taken specific action.

Among those taking measures, "exercise" and "dietary restrictions" are the two main options, indicating that many people start by reviewing their lifestyle habits.

■ 88.4% Responded "I Have Never Used Kampo Medicine, But I Am Interested"

Finally, we asked if they have ever used Kampo (herbal) medicine for weight gain or water retention.

As a result, 4.2% said "Currently using," 7.4% said "Have used it in the past," and 88.4% said "Have never used it, but I am interested."