Lifestyle analysis: Only a small number maintain a healthy lifestyle

Lifestyle analysis: Only a small number maintain a healthy lifestyle

In the year 2025, the German Health Insurance Fund (GKV) published the "How Healthy Does Germany Live?" report, shedding light on the health status and lifestyle behaviours of the German population. The report, created in collaboration with the German Sport University Cologne and the University of Würzburg, presents several significant trends and insights.

1. Physical Activity Concerns
2. According to Ingo Froboese, the physical activity requirement is met by at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. However, only about one in three (30%) of those who sit for at least eight hours a day compensate with an hour or more of exercise per day.
3. Slightly more than two-thirds (68 percent) of respondents are physically active enough to gain health benefits.
4. 19 percent said that movements in this area never last longer than 10 minutes.
5. Nearly one in five people hardly move at all in their leisure time and on transportation routes.
6. Healthy Lifestyle Adherence
7. Only 2% of the surveyed population in Germany meet the criteria for a healthy lifestyle. Women are slightly more likely to lead a healthy lifestyle than men, with 3% of women and 1% of men meeting the criteria.
8. The proportion of all respondents who meet the recommendations for minimum endurance activity and twice-weekly muscle training is 32 percent.
9. Only about one in three meets the criteria for healthy eating, with a healthy eating style considered achieved if at least 20 out of a total of 30 possible points are reached.
10. Alcohol Consumption
11. The average alcohol consumption among the surveyed population is such that no one meets the criteria for healthy alcohol consumption, as stated in the report.
12. 37% of women abstain from alcohol completely, while only 21% of men do so.
13. Sitting Time
14. The survey reveals that people spend an average of more than ten hours sitting on a workday, which is almost two hours more than ten years ago.
15. Stress Management
16. In the area of stress, only one in five manages it in a healthy way.

These findings underscore the need for improved public health strategies and policy-making aimed at promoting physical activity, healthy eating, and addressing concerns over sedentary lifestyles and alcohol consumption. The report also highlights the importance of mental health awareness and the need to address health inequalities linked to socioeconomic factors.

For more detailed insights or specific data points from the 2025 report, it is recommended to check the official publication or summaries issued by the German Health Insurance Fund. The surveys for the report were conducted in February and March 2025.

1. The report highlights the need for increased focus on mental health, as only one in five individuals manages stress in a healthy manner.
2. While the requirement for physical activity is met by the majority, unhealthy lifestyle trends persist, such as nearly one in five people barely moving during leisure time or on transportation routes.
3. The health-and-wellness sector should prioritize providing resources and encouragement for the public to adopt healthy dietary habits, as only about one in three individuals follow the recommended healthy eating guidelines.

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