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WellbeingDec 29, 2025

Half of Americans Want to Lose Weight

Four in 10 Americans say they are overweight, and 52% want to lose weight. Yet only half as many are trying, with women expressing more desire.

Social & Policy IssuesDec 22, 2025

Secular Christmas Traditions Persist as Sacred Ones Decline

Most Americans still celebrate Christmas, but fewer observe it religiously, while secular customs remain highly popular.

HealthcareDec 15, 2025

Cost Leads Americans' Top-of-Mind Healthcare Concerns

Concerns about and dissatisfaction with healthcare costs in the U.S. underscore Americans' belief that the nation's healthcare system is highly flawed.

PoliticsDec 8, 2025

Independents Drive Approval of ACA to New High of 57%

Americans' approval of the Affordable Care Act has risen to a new high, fueled by increased support among political independents.

Social & Policy IssuesNov 9, 2025

Community Cohesion Could Unlock Rural Leadership

In rural America, high levels of community support and connection are linked to higher levels of local involvement and leadership.

PoliticsNov 6, 2025

U.S. Prison System Rated High on Security, Low on Reform

Americans generally view the U.S. prison system as secure, but say it is ineffective at keeping inmates safe or rehabilitating them.

Social & Policy IssuesNov 5, 2025

Americans Much More Positive About Progress on Drugs

Two years after expressing record pessimism about the U.S. illegal drug problem, Americans are the most optimistic they have been in a quarter century.

PoliticsOct 30, 2025

Crime in U.S. Seen as Less Serious for Second Straight Year

Fewer Americans see national or local crime rising or view these as serious problems, but concerns about child safety and financial fraud remain.

PoliticsOct 20, 2025

Americans See Need for Third Party, but Offer Soft Support

Americans continue to express a desire for a third party but have reservations about voting for third-party candidates.

Social & Policy IssuesOct 6, 2025

American Views on AI, National Security in 5 Charts

Americans expect AI-based attacks on the U.S., but support for developing AI-enabled weapons for conflicts is more limited and conditional.

PoliticsOct 1, 2025

Military Experience Tops Candidate Credentials

A majority of Americans, 55%, say they are more likely to vote for candidates for elected office who have past military experience.

PoliticsOct 1, 2025

New High Say Supreme Court Is Too Conservative

Forty-three percent of Americans describe the U.S. Supreme Court as being "too conservative," the highest in Gallup's trend.

Polling MattersSep 4, 2025

Trends in U.S. Adults' Acceptance of Moral and Values Behaviors

Americans have become more liberal on many moral and values issues over the past quarter century, but with some signs of a leveling off in recent years.

Social & Policy IssuesSep 4, 2025

Americans' Ideal Family Size Remains Above Two Children

Even as the U.S. birth rate has fallen to a new low of 1.6 births per woman, Americans still say the ideal family includes an average of 2.7 children.

Social & Policy IssuesAug 27, 2025

Americans Split on Meaning of the American Dream

Whether Americans see the American Dream as more about stability or opportunity is shaped by income, education and lived experiences.

Social & Policy IssuesAug 20, 2025

Steady 64% Say Racism Against Black People Widespread in U.S.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans say racism against Black people is widespread, even as slightly more than that say they've seen civil rights gains.

PoliticsAug 18, 2025

How Americans Perceive Treatment of Racial, Ethnic Groups

Less than half of Americans are satisfied with the way immigrants and Black, Hispanic, Jewish and Arab people are treated in the U.S.

Social & Policy IssuesAug 5, 2025

Pope Leo Most Favorably Viewed of 14 Newsmakers

Pope Leo XIV enjoys broad favorability in the U.S., while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders remain well-liked.

Social & Policy IssuesJul 23, 2025

Paranormal Phenomena Met With Skepticism in U.S.

Psychic healing and ghosts top Americans' paranormal beliefs, while most reject concepts like witches, astrology and reincarnation.

Social & Policy IssuesJul 22, 2025

Adultery, Cloning Still Seen as Most Immoral Behaviors

Of 20 behaviors, extramarital affairs and human cloning are seen as the most morally wrong. Birth control and divorce remain the most morally acceptable.

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