Obesity therapies increased 12 percent

Inpatient treatment of obesity patients increased by 12 percent

25/01/2011

According to the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden in 2009, around twelve percent more patients with diagnosed obesity were treated in Germany. In total, around 21,000 people were treated as full-time in obesity or rehabilitation clinics due to obesity. Thus, the proportion of cases treated increased by 12 percentage points compared to 2004.

The gender distribution of patients remained constant. The proportion of females was only marginally higher than that of male patients at 53 percent. However, the proportion of young patients was particularly large. About 9,000 obese patients were under 18 years old. This corresponds to a share of 43 percent measured against all patient data.

Adipos are people whose overweight is strong and morbid. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, obesity occurs when the body mass index BMI is 30 kg / m2. Another indicator is the proportion of body fat and its distribution (measured on the waist circumference and waist-hip ratio). Strong preponderance occurs especially in the western industrialized countries. Statisticians and health researchers have been seeing rising numbers of cases for years. The main causes are unanimously lack of exercise and unhealthy diets. In Germany, every sixth German is already considered obese. (Sb)

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Picture: RainerSturm