How widespread is obesity in Germany?
Scientific support: Prof. Dr. Matthias Blüher
The number of people who have overweight or severe overweight (obesity) is increasing worldwide and also in Germany. Studies show that more than 67 percent of men and 53 percent of women in Germany are overweight or obese. The incidence of overweight and obesity increases with age. However, the incidence of overweight and obesity is also becoming an increasingly significant health problem among children and adolescents.
Prevalence of obesity in adults
In Germany, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) regularly collects data on the height and weight of the population. The last major study to record the state of health in Germany, the Study on the Health of Adults in Germany (DEGS1), took place from 2008 to 2011. As part of this study, the height and weight of the people were recorded independently by health professionals. The data is therefore considered more reliable than self-assessments in surveys.
The analysis showed that at that time around half of women (53 percent) and two thirds of men (67 percent) in Germany wereoverweight. Around a quarter of adults (24 percent of women and 23 percent of men) were obese.
The socio-economic status, which is made up of factors such as income, education, employment and other factors, also influences the risk of developing obesity. People with a lower socio-economic status are more frequently affected by obesity.
How do Germans estimate their own weight?
In a nationwide, representative survey (microcensus) in 2021, 62.4 percent of men and 42.5 percent of women in Germany stated that they were overweight – this also includes obesity. 14.8 percent of women and 18.7 percent of men were obese.
As part of the 2021 microcensus, data on the participants’ height and weight was collected through self-reporting. When self-reporting, people often tend to estimate their weight lower and their height higher. This results in a lower body mass index (BMI) than with standardized measurements by a specialist. This means that the number of people with overweight and obesity in self-reported surveys is often lower than in studies with standardized measurements.
Prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents
An evaluation as part of the German Child and Adolescent Health Survey (KiGGS) revealed that between 2015 and 2017, 15 in 100 children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 years were overweight. 6 in 100 children and adolescents were already obese.
Sources:
Deutsche Adipositas-Gesellschaft et al.: S3-Leitlinie Adipositas - Prävention und Therapie. Version 5.0. 2024
Mensink, G. B. M. et al.: Übergewicht und Adipositas in Deutschland. In: Bundesgesundheitsbl, 2013, 56: 786-794
Robert Koch-Institut: Dashboard zu Gesundheit in Deutschland – GEDA 2019/2020. (Letzter Abruf: 17.02.2025)
Robert Koch-Institut: KiGGS Welle 2 – Erste Ergebnisse aus Querschnitt- und Kohortenanalysen. In: Journal of Health Monitoring, 2018, 3: 1-151
Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis): Gleichstellungsindikatoren – Anteil der Frauen und Männer ab 18 Jahren mit Übergewicht / Adipositas. (Letzter Abruf: 17.02.2025)
As of: 17.02.2025
