Every second German is overweight

Every second German is overweight / Health News

More than every second German is overweight, as the Federal Statistical Office announced.

(02.06.2010) The Germans are getting fatter. According to the Federal Statistical Office, every second person in Germany is already overweight. In the past year, statistically speaking, about 51 percent of adult men and women were overweight. On average, men are "thicker" than women. About 60 percent of men and 43 percent of women in Germany are overweight.

Already at a young age, many people are overweight. With increasing age, many are once again gaining weight significantly. In 2009, 20 to 24 year olds were 29 percent of men and 18 percent of women overweight. For seniors, the overweight is even more pronounced. For example, 74 percent of men and 63 percent of women aged 70 to 74 were overweight. In addition, the values ​​are different, depending on which relationship status one occupies. So singles were less overweight than married or couples. Married men were 69 percent overweight. On the other hand, singles are on average only 43 percent overweight.

The Federal Statistical Office has evaluated its results from the data of the "Microcensus 2009". In the microcensus, selected households participate in the surveys according to random criteria. From these results an average is calculated. For assessing whether or not there is overweight, the so-called body mass index (BMI) was consulted. The BMI is divided by the weight in kilograms and measured by the height squared. Gender and age are not affected by this calculation. According to the WHO, an adult is "normal weight" if he has a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. Anyone with a BMI below 18.5 is underweight. All people who count as "overweight" have a BMI over 25. Obesity is when a person has a BMI of 30.

Even a slight overweight increases the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. Unhealthy diet and little exercise often lead to obesity. Naturopathy knows some ways to effectively combat obesity. One possibility is the Fletschern. (Sb)

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Picture credits: Petra Dietz, Pixelio.de.