Unfortunately for American citizens, they will have no choice but to declare how much they weigh soon.

Random survey

With the obesity rate on the rise in the US, airline passengers in the country may now need to step on a weighing scale at the airport or reveal their weight before boarding a flight, Fox News reported.

According to the report, the obejective of the excercise, which was stated in a recent circular from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), was to update the average weight of passengers.

The previous airline data to ensure safety on planes was reportedly outdated due to the increased obesity rate in the country.

Under the new exercise, airlines in the US are required to conduct random sampling and ask for willing participants to take surveys to set "standard average passenger weights" for crew members, baggage and passengers.

The survey is said to be on a voluntary basis, so a passenger can indeed decline to participate. When that happens, the airline is advised to select another passenger at random to do the survey.

According to the report, the weight of an average adult passenger and carry-on bag will be increased to 86kg in the summer and 88kg in the winter.

That represents a 12 per cent increase from the previously recorded data of 77kg and 79kg respectively.

The average weight for female passengers and carry-ons, meanwhile, will also be increased from 65kg to 81kg in the summer and from 68kg to 83kg in the winter.

Weight for males with carry-ons will go up from 83kg in the summer to 90kg, and from 86 kg to 92 kg in the winter.