West Bromwich among England's biggest 'beach body' search hotspots, study finds

West Bromwich has been named one of England's biggest hotspots for online "beach body" searches, according to new research that found local interest has risen by 17.6 per cent over the past year.

The study, carried out by weight loss specialists Tonic, analysed Google search data for the term "beach body" and 1,316 related keywords, comparing average monthly search volumes between June 2024 - May 2025 and June 2025 - May 2026.

West Bromwich ranked third in England for the biggest year-on-year increase in searches, behind Southampton (31.2 per cent) and Lincoln (18.2 per cent). Telford (14 per cent), Derby (11.5 per cent), Watford (5.3 per cent), Stockport (4.8 per cent), Reading (3.3 per cent), Portsmouth (3 per cent) and Exeter (0 per cent) completed the top 10.

Researchers said the findings come as social media continues to promote "get beach body ready" messaging during the summer months. Previous studies suggest around 70 per cent of people experience greater body dissatisfaction during the summer, driven by social media comparisons and the feeling that their appearance is under greater scrutiny.

While several smaller towns and cities recorded rising interest, the study found searches fell sharply in many of England's largest urban centres. London saw a 28.4 per cent decline, while Birmingham (-26 per cent), Leeds (-25.9 per cent) and Manchester (-19.1 per cent) also recorded significant decreases.

Jordan Chadwick, managing director at Tonic, said the figures point to changing attitudes towards body image.

"A handful of smaller cities are driving sharp increases in beach body interest, but the national picture is very different in most of the larger urban centres – those searches are actually going down,” he said. “That suggests the idea of a beach body is losing its grip on the places where the pressure has traditionally been strongest.

"When someone has a realistic plan, ongoing clinical support and starts to see their health improving, the focus tends to shift away from chasing a short-term 'beach body' and towards feeling well in their day-to-day life.

"The goalposts shift. It stops being about how you look in August and starts being about how you feel day to day."

The research analysed average monthly Google search volumes for "beach body" and 1,316 related keywords across English cities, comparing data from June 2024 - May 2025 with June 2025 - May 2026.