title: [Overweight and obesity in Germany: results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1)].
abstract: The increase in overweight and obesity is a worldwide health problem. The first wave of the "German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults" (DEGS1), conducted from 2008 through 2011, provides current data about overweight and obesity among adults in Germany. Within DEGS1, a representative sample of the 18- to 79-year-old population was interviewed with regard to health relevant issues and physically examined (n = 7,116). From measurements of body height and weight, the body mass index (BMI) was calculated, which was used to define overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2)). Results are stratified for gender, age group, socioeconomic status and region and compared with results from the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98) and the National Examination Surveys 1990/92. According to DEGS1, 67.1% of men and 53.0% of women are overweight. The prevalence of overweight has not changed compared to GNHIES98. The prevalence of obesity, however, has risen substantially, especially among men: in GNHIES98, 18.9% of men and 22.5% of women were obese, in DEGS1, these figures were 23.3% and 23.9%, respectively. The increase in obesity occurred especially among young adults. An English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink as supplemental.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsmonitoring, Robert Koch-Institut, General-Pape-Str. 62-66, 12101 Berlin, Deutschland. MensinkG@rki.de
authors.forename: G B M
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Mensink
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schienkiewitz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haftenberger
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lampert
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ziese
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scheidt-Nave
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult