Over half of Germans too fat

Over half of Germans are overweight

12/09/2012

More than half of all people in Germany suffer from obesity. That resulted in a small request from the party „The left“ to the Federal Government. Of particular concern is the proportion of eating disorders in children and adolescents.

The left-wing group asked the federal government how high the proportion of obese people in Germany is currently. The answer seems alarming: over 50 percent of men and women are too fat. Expressed in exact numbers, 67 percent of men and 53 percent of women are currently overweight or already suffering from obesity. Especially bad are the numbers in the young people. Thus, the age group of 25 to 29-year-olds is particularly affected by obesity. About 47 percent of young men and nearly 40 percent of women are obese. The Federal Government also confirmed the assumption that a low income and thus a lower social status socially „Be thick“ promoted.

Many children and adolescents suffer from eating disorders, said the federal government. Already 21.9 percent of 11- to 17-year-olds showed symptoms such as anorexia, bulimia or obesity. The differentiated view shows that girls in the age group suffer from eating disorders and boys at 28.9 percent of cases in 15.2 percent. Almost 50 percent of the girls mean, „they are too fat, even though they have a normal-weight BMI.

However, according to Reinhard Mann, head of the nutrition department of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) in Cologne, parents should not panic if their offspring have a slight overweight. Immediately to prescribe a diet, may be a pity more than it is useful. In addition, diets should be seen in children and adolescents only by doctor's order or consultation, as children need important nutrients to grow. „If children are malnourished in the growth phase, this can lead to physical damage“, so man. Better to pay attention to allow children more physical exercise. In light overweight, it is recommended, „First of all, only keep an eye on children“.

Losing excess pounds is not a question of counting calories, the expert said. Many factors play a role in weight gain. „Please also pay attention to the media consumption. There is a connection between the time children spend in front of the media and being overweight“, explains the nutrition expert. For example, primary school children (ages 6 to 10) should not consume media such as television or computers for more than one hour.

Children who are overweight should be given assistance in coping with everyday stress. This includes, for example, giving them enough time to eat. Because „Children can easily judge when they are full, if they have enough time and do not have to wrap because they are to the next appointment.“ Also, the portioning of the food should be left to the children. „If it's too much, I can comment: take first less, you can have more later.“, advises man.

It's hard to say when a child is actually too fat, has a strong physique, or actually has a few pounds too much. There is no simple formula for that. Although the body mass index (BMI) can measure the weight of adults and children, „but the BMI alone is not enough“. The percentile curves once again differentiated by age and gender. If the BMI of the child is in the red, the child is emotionally in a bad mood and moves little, should parents react.

In no case should parents act on their own and simply put the children on a diet. It would be better, yourself „Seek help from the pediatrician“. This also applies if children are underweight. „Otherwise it is enough to observe the child first. How does the figure develop? Is it moving normally? Is it more calm or lively? Is worried and is depressed?“, says man. Often overweight regrows over time. In one third of the children who were previously overweight, the weight normalizes again. However, one-third of normal-weight children will later become fat, Mann said. (Sb)

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