Germans smoke less and do more sports

Sport instead of cigarettes: Germans' attitude to their health has improved

12/12/2014

The attitude of Germans has improved since 2003. For example, the number of smokers has decreased while more people are doing sports. That's from the study „Health in Germany currently“ (GEDA 2012), the results of which are based on an annual survey of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). According to this study, in 2012 people in this country do not feel sicker or healthier than in 2003, when the survey first took place.

A less gratifying result concerns the number of chronic diseases, which has increased significantly. „For example, the proportion of men with osteoarthritis increased from 16 percent in 2003 to 20 percent in 2012, while the proportion of women with osteoarthritis rose from 23 percent to 28 percent“, informs the RKI. The increase can partly be explained by demographic trends: more and more people are getting older and older. Consequently, the number of diseases that are typical of a higher age also increases.

Health-conscious behavior such as sports is increasing among Germans
Every year since 2003, the RKI carries out surveys on German health. Almost 20,000 study participants are asked about their lifestyle and health status. The most recent evaluation is based on a survey between February 2012 and March 2013. The question „Do smoke at the moment, if only occasionally?“ At that time, 24 percent of women and 31 percent of men said yes. In 2003, there were still significantly more smokers at 29 and 38 percent.

In addition, more people are physically active in this country. While only 59 percent of women and 61 percent of men said they were doing sports in 2003, in 2012 there were already two-thirds of both sexes. The participants became the question „Think of the last three months. Did you do sport??“ posed.

At the same time, the number of overweight people in Germany is increasing. „Around 46 percent of women and 60 percent of men are overweight or obese. Overweight is more common in men
than in women (43 percent vs. 30 percent); the frequency of obesity does not differ between the sexes“, states in the study. „Both sexes are overweight
and obesity in the older age groups was much more common than in the younger age groups.“ (Ag)