German pensioners should pay closer attention to their diet, experts believe.
According to "Russkaya Germaniya", a new study conducted by experts from the German Nutrition Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung, DGE) shows that by the end of their working lives, 74% of German men are overweight. Women are not far behind: 56% also gain extra kilograms by retirement.
The DGE's calculations are based on the body mass index (BMI), a controversial but widely used tool that assesses the degree to which a person's weight corresponds to their height, thereby indirectly determining whether weight is underweight, normal, or overweight. To calculate your own BMI, divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. Developed by Belgian sociologist and statistician Adolphe Quetelet back in 1869, the body mass index provides only approximate estimates and often draws criticism from specialists.
Nevertheless, the indicator is actively used in modern practice for obesity prevention and in statistical analyses. Thus, a person with a BMI of 25 to 30 is considered overweight (pre-obese), those with an index of 30-35 suffer from first-degree obesity, 35-40 from second-degree, and over 40 from third-degree obesity.
In Germany, the problem of obesity affects men more than women, in all age groups without exception. On average, every resident of the country gains 11 extra kilograms between the ages of 18 and 40. Already among German men aged 30-35, those with normal weight are in the minority, the Nutrition Society points out.
German women generally gain weight more slowly: excess weight gain mainly begins with age; after 55, the majority of German women already have a BMI above 25, which ensures the predominance of plump ladies in DGE statistics—which, in turn, rely on data from the Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt).
The causes of excess weight, experts remind, have long been known: primarily, it is physical inactivity—lack of exercise—along with the consumption of overly caloric foods that are also too cheap and easily accessible. In addition, specialists attribute genetic predisposition, stress, lack of sleep, and the use of certain medications to the most common causes of obesity.
Sadly, since 1999, the following trend has been statistically confirmed: those who are already fat become even fatter. The number of German men suffering from obesity has increased by 40% over nearly two decades, and women by 24% (BMI over 30). The European Union's statistical service Eurostat also pointed out an excess of fat and fattening residents in Germany last year: the proportion of obese people in Germany exceeds the corresponding indicators of most European countries.
Relatively positive news about excess weight concerns German children. Among those who started school from 1990 to 2004, the proportion suffering from pre-obesity and obesity steadily increased. Since the middle of the last decade, this growth has stopped: on average, children in Germany are closer to a normal weight than to being overweight. Currently, the proportion of schoolchildren with excess weight varies from one federal state to another within the range of 8-12%, and 2 to 5% of German schoolchildren are obese.
In contrast, obesity is a scourge for elderly Germans: in the age group over 65, from 1999 to 2013, the proportion of men suffering from third-degree obesity with a BMI over 40 increased by 300%, and women by 175%.