What's the Top New Year's Resolution for 2017?

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — Move over, dieting. There’s a new top New Year’s resolution in town for 2017.

The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion released its findings on what Americans have decided as their top resolution for the new year.

“Being a better person” topped the list at 16 percent, knocking “weight loss” from the No. 1 spot for the first time since 2014, according to the Marist Poll.

“Exercising more” tied with “weight loss” for second place, at 10 percent, among those who are likely to make a 2017 resolution.

Rounding out the top resolutions are “spending less and saving more money,” “improving one’s health” and “eating healthier,” with each getting 7 percent of responses.

Last year, the top resolutions were “losing weight,” 12 percent; “getting a better job,” 10 percent; “exercising more,” 9 percent; “stopping smoking,” 9 percent; “improving one’s health,” 9 percent; “being a better person,” 8 percent; “eating healthier,” 8 percent; and “spending less and saving more,” 7 percent.

Gender, age and geography all made a difference, the poll said.

Nineteen percent of women were more likely to mention being a better person than any other resolution.

For men, being a better person tied with exercising more, at 12 percent.

American 45 years of age or older — 21 percent of them — were more likely than younger Americans to resolve to be a better person.

Among those less than 45 years old, there was little consensus, the Marist Poll found. Being a better person and spending less money and saving more each received 11 percent. That was followed by losing weight and exercising more at 9 percent.

The Marist Poll said it was noteworthy that, among those under 30, being a better person edged out exercising 13 percent to 10 percent. Among those 30 to 44 years old, spending less and saving more took the top spot at 16 percent.

Being a better person was important to 21 percent of people living in the West and 16 percent in the South.

Being a better person tied at 15 percent with losing weight for top honors in the Midwest.

In the Northeast, weight loss topped the list at 12 percent. It was closely followed by being a better person and improving one’s health, both at 9 percent.

And just how many Americans were planning to make a resolution?

More said they were either very likely or likely to do so for 2017, 44 percent, than in 2016, 39 percent.

That left a majority — 56 percent — who said they were not likely at all to make a change.

More younger Americans were likely to make a New Year’s resolution than their older counterparts, and at least 68 percent of all respondents said they kept at least part of their resolution from 2016.

That is up slightly from the previous year — 64 percent — and is the highest since 2013 when 72 percent said they kept their resolution.

For bragging rights, more men, 75 percent, than women, 62 percent, said they kept their 2016 resolution.

The Marist Poll sampled 1,005 adults between Dec. 1 and Dec. 9. For complete methodology and data, go here.

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