Good health of German children

Health study on child health

16/11/2013

The health status of their children in Germany is rated by most parents as good or very good. This is the conclusion of a recent health study by the Robert Koch Institute. However, it has also been shown that around 16 percent of all children and adolescents suffer from at least one allergic disease.

Most children are fine
The majority of German children and adolescents are fine. This emerges from a recent health report of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Between 2009 and 2012, the RKI surveyed around 16,000 children, adolescents, their parents and young adults. Thus, 94 percent of parents rated the health status of their children as good or very good. Of the surveyed eleven to 17-year-olds, 88 percent gave top marks in terms of their health. Health researcher Ute Ellert said: „The subjective health of adolescents in Germany is almost never before.“

Allergic diseases in children
However, the data published in the Berlin study on the health of children and adolescents in Germany (KiGGS) on Thursday said that around 16 percent of adolescents have at least one allergic disease. In particular, the proportion of infants with hay fever and asthma has continued to increase in recent years. In addition, in the twelve months prior to the survey, a total of nine percent of under-17s were affected by hay fever, six percent of eczema and four percent of asthma.

Uptrend in allergies has subsided
The KiGGS deals generally with the health situation of adolescents. Already in the years 2003 to 2006, more than 17,000 children took part in a comprehensive survey with their parents. The telephone follow-up survey from 2009 to 2012 also showed that the decade-long upward trend in allergies „noticeably diminished“ According to RKI, the disproportionate increase in allergies in eastern Germany in the 1990s can no longer be accounted for today.

Teenagers eat too little fruit
The current figures of the RKI, however, speak for a poor rating on the subject of nutrition. Nearly 50 percent of young people would eat too little fruit and vegetables. In addition, nearly a third of children spend more than four hours in front of computers and TV. On the other hand, it is gratifying that fewer and fewer young people are smoking. In the first survey, 22.2 percent of the girls and 21.3 percent of the boys who smoked were the last to receive 12.2 percent. Even alcohol would consume only a few teenagers regularly.

Pediatricians see deterioration
The partly positive results, however, are also faced with other analyzes, such as those of pediatricians, who recently complained about a poorer health of children in Germany in the last ten years. Unhealthy diet, too little exercise and too much time in front of computer and TV are the Reasons for the health problems such as obesity, back pain or movement disorders. These were the results of a survey by the Forsa Institute commissioned by DAK-Gesundheit a few months ago, which was carried out among 100 children and adolescents nationwide on the health of children. „Almost all physicians surveyed (94 percent) note an increase in overweight“, so the DAK. „An increase in motor deficits among minors see 80 percent of respondents.“ In addition, more than half of the doctors noted that back pain and postural damage have increased. (Ad)

Image: Alwin Gasser