Germans do more sports and feel fit

Robert Koch Institute: The Germans are fat, feel healthy and do more sports

27/05/2013

People in Germany seem to do more sports, suffer more from the chronic metabolic disease diabetes and are more often exposed to permanent stress. This is the result of a health study commissioned by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin. The authors of the study conclude that the majority of Germans feel that they are healthy and fit, while lower income groups and Hartz IV recipients have a significantly higher risk of disease than others.

Many more people in Germany do sports regularly. Even so, a large-scale RKI study on adult health counts more diabetics. This is the summarized result of a study presented today.

The scientific evaluation belongs to the largest investigations in Germany in the field of health. The RKI study, which was conducted between 2008 and 2011, involved a total of approximately 8,000 people. During the course, the subjects were questioned by means of questionnaires, physically examined in detail by a doctor and various laboratory examinations were carried out. Main questions were not only the physical and mental constitution but also the health behavior as well as the social status.

More people suffer from diabetes
The number of diabetics has continued to increase since the last survey in 1998. According to the study, around 7.2 percent of adult Germans between the ages of 18 and 79 have diabetes. Over the past ten years, the proportion of diabetics has increased by 38 percent. However, around 33 percent of the increase is attributable to the higher number of older people. Due to demographic change, the proportion of chronic diseases is also increasing, as the risk of diabetes increases with age.

Another risk for diabetes is the unhealthy diet and the resulting obesity. According to the study, the number of obese adults „on a high level“. About 53 percent of women and just over 67 percent of men are overweight. Significantly increased is the proportion of obese patients. About 25 percent of adult women and men are severely overweight.

Especially young men have gained a lot of weight. „This age group is more affected by obesity than it was ten years ago“, states in the study. This refers to the age group of 30- to 39-year-olds. One in five (22 percent) suffers from obesity. Obesity is not only a risk for diabetes but also for cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Every tenth suffers from constant stress
Having suffered and survived a heart attack, 2.5 percent of women and 7 percent of men in the 40- to 79-year-old age group. A good six percent of the subjects were diagnosed with depression in the past 12 months. One in ten Germans also suffers from permanent stress. In turn, this condition can cause depression, chronic fatigue, burn-out, and sleep disturbances.

But the trend towards sport is positive. The result showed that more and more people are doing sports regularly. Around 25 percent exercise at least two hours a week. In the study ten years earlier, the proportion was still significantly lower.

Overall, however, people in Germany feel healthy. A good 76.6 percent of men and about 72.9 percent of women say that theirs „Good health to very good“ be. Even in old age, 50 percent of 70-year-olds said they at least had their health with them „Well“ would rate.

Poverty favors diseases
However, things are different for people who only have a low household income and, for example, receive Hartz IV benefits. These people are significantly more likely to be affected by illnesses such as diabetes, and they also rate their overall health much worse. In addition, poor people are more often affected by mental health problems such as depression or physical complaints such as obesity. „The results clearly show that the health chances and disease risks are still very unevenly distributed“, the authors of the study summarize.

More mental and physical violence
One in five respondents between the ages of 18 and 64 said they had been victims of mental assault at least once in the last 12 months. Every man and every tenth woman stated that they had once committed psychological violence themselves. Every 20 adults in Germany have been victims of physical violence.

Neglected in its negative meaning is the psychological violence in the workplace. Nine percent of both sexes have already been victims in the workplace. Because women are still less employed than men, the result shows that women are more likely to be affected in the workplace. This mental strain can result in serious illnesses such as depression or anxiety disorders. This is also an economic problem, reminds RKI researcher Robert Schlack. Because those affected afford significantly less if they are bullied. Therefore, employers should have an increased interest in developing prevention strategies.

The fact that men are more likely to be the perpetrators of physical attacks is not surprising to the researchers. However, men are also more likely to be victims of violence. However, age also plays a role in the violence experiences. The older the age of the subjects, the less likely men became victims. (Sb)