Fewer and fewer Germans live healthy

Only ten percent of Germans maintain a healthy lifestyle

05/10/2012

A large proportion of Germans live unhealthily, especially in young and middle-aged years, according to one of the key messages of the current DKV report „How healthy is Germany??“. On behalf of the German health insurance (DKV) experts of the Center for Health of the German Sport University Cologne conducted a survey on the health behavior of the population.

According to the results of the latest survey, only one in ten Germans is convinced that they lead a completely healthy lifestyle. Especially in terms of nutrition, physical activity and stress management, many respondents saw their personal shortcomings. Also, the daily sitting times were alarmingly high, especially among the younger respondents. One of the reasons for the lack of physical activity is the leisure time in front of the PC or the pastime in social networks. In older respondents, however, the lack of exercise was much less pronounced. Overall, they rated their lifestyle as significantly healthier.

Over 3,000 people asked about their health behavior
In the representative survey for the DKV, 3,032 people were asked about their everyday health behavior. How much are you moving? What are you eating? How do you deal with alcohol and cigarettes? How stressed are you? With such questions, the scientists of the Sport University of Cologne collected data for the analysis of the health behavior of the subjects. Questions were also asked about mental balance and sleeping behavior. „The results of the survey show light and dark sides in the health behavior of Germans“, so the message of the DKV. Although physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and stress are a growing problem, tobacco and alcohol are showing pleasing development. The number of smokers has dropped from 25 to 22 percent compared to the DKV Report 2010, and a comparable trend has been observed for unhealthy alcohol consumption (decrease from 19 to 16 percent).

More than half of Germans are overweight?
The development of nutrition and physical activity is questionable. Almost half of the respondents feel that they are overweight. Most people are well aware of the health risks of being overweight. 79 percent of respondents are overweight „a big social problem.“ Clemens Muth, Chairman of the Board of DKV, said that overweight and lack of exercise are affecting health in more and more people. This leads „for example to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and back pain“, with correspondingly rising health care costs. Here comprehensive prevention campaigns are required. This is also confirmed by the desire of 74 percent of respondents to use a traffic light system to label healthy and unhealthy foods.

Lack of exercise is a common problem
The widespread lack of exercise goes hand in hand with the increased obesity and is also developing according to the results of the current DKV report to a growing problem. Almost half of the respondents did not meet the minimum World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. „The number of people who give their bodies a sufficient amount of exercise has fallen further compared to the DKV Report 2010“, reports the DKV. The most common is sedentary in the middle age groups, but also the 18- to 29-year-olds are becoming more and more the moan of movement. Overall, they were scary „Thirty percent of respondents said they were not physically active in their free time“, so the message of the DKV.

Young people with long daily sitting times
The scientific director of the DKV report, Ingo Froböse of the Center for Health of the German Sport University Cologne. Declared in view of the widespread lack of movement: „We drive in the car, work on the computer, and in our free time our media usage increases. While we let off steam in social networks, the body remains passive.“ This is also evident in the sitting times of the respondents. The youngest participants in the survey (18 to 29 year olds) have the longest sitting times, averaging six hours per day. However, the long sitting time does not necessarily lead to weight problems. „Too little exercise is harmful to everyone, but does not make everyone fat“, so happy.

Protects high income from mental health problems?
The focal points of mental stability and sleeping habits, which are also inquired, make it clear that one in five respondents is not balanced and shows signs of listlessness and depressive mood, reports the DKV. It rises „the number of those affected by body weight and decreases with higher educational status and higher income“, so the message of the health insurance. On average, people with higher incomes felt significantly more vital than those on low incomes. „With more than 4,000 euros net household income per month reaches the feeling of vitality“, according to the DKV, „the highest values.“Also, among the good earners and the people with a high level of education, most respondents find a good night's sleep.

Women live healthier than men
Another result of the DKV report is that women on average appear to live significantly healthier than men. They eat more consciously, move more and drink less alcohol. Regarding the health behavior of the elderly (over the age of 65), the current survey finds that they maintain the healthiest lifestyle of all ages. Only in mental health problems did seniors show increased susceptibility. Overall, the current DKV report compared to the previous survey from 2010, a negative trend in the health behavior of Germans. Today, only eleven percent of respondents rate their lifestyle as completely healthy, while two years ago, 14 percent of study participants did so. (Fp)

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Picture credits: Benjamin Thorn