Introduction:
Excess body weight, which affects nearly 60% of the adult Polish population, remains a growing public health and social concern by increasing the risk of chronic diseases and negatively impacting mental health. Women are more likely than men to experience societal pressure related to body image and weight. While weight reduction primarily comes from dietary changes and increased physical activity, modern medicine also offers various pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. This study aimed to assess body image and weight self-evaluation among young adults aged 18–35, identify their weight-related goals, and examine their attitudes toward selected weight loss support methods, with a consideration of the influencing factors.

Material and methods:
A total of 406 individuals completed an anonymous online questionnaire. The Polish adaptation of the BESAA scale was used to assess body-esteem across three subscales. A 5-point Likert scale measured the respondents’ self-evaluation and attitudes toward dietary supplements, GLP-1 analogs, and bariatric surgery. Statistical analysis was conducted using Statistica 13.3.

Results:
The median BMI was 22.1 for women and 25.2 for men. Overall, 76.4% had attempted weight loss in the past. Women more often reported such attempts (81.2% vs. 63.7%) and expressed a desire to lose weight (61.7% vs. 46.9%). Participants with normal BMI reported significantly higher weight satisfaction. While bariatric surgery received the highest scores for effectiveness and safety among the listed methods, overall ratings for all approaches were quite low.

Conclusions:
The findings underscore the need for education that promotes body acceptance, realistic body ideals, and informed use of weight loss methods.