all the best STADA Health Report 2014

Germans’ attitudes, desires and behavior

towards their health
02 STADA Health Report
1. Editorial
Germans feel bet-
ter than is often as-
sumed. This is sur-
prising at first glance,
because according to
a study by the Wash-
ington Gallup Institute,
Germans rank only in
the upper mid-range of the international happiness atlas,
coming in at position 46 of 138 nations surveyed.
In reality, 85 percent of German citizens are satisfied or even
very satisfied with their daily lives. This is the conclusion of
the first “STADA Health Report”. Market researchers from
Kantar Health, a subsidiary of the prestigious TNS Infra­
test Group in Germany, surveyed 2,000 people in Germany
­between the ages of 18 and 70 about their everyday deal-
ings with health. You are holding the results in your hands.
And without giving too much more away: There are other
surprising findings that leave room for discussion.
The results clearly show that there are two large groups in
Germany: On the one side there are those who care deep-
ly about their health and physical and mental well-being
and are willing to invest a lot in it. On the other side we
have people who suffer from a massive lack of exercise
and openly admit that their own laziness is the biggest
stumbling block when it comes to leading a healthier life.
Each one of us can do a lot for ourselves and our own
bodies and minds: It starts with a balanced diet and avoid-
ing excessive consumption of stimulants such as nicotine
or alcohol. Even just having the self-discipline to reach for
an apple rather than a bar of chocolate should be some-
thing that anyone of us can do. It is also very important
to strengthen the immune system. One example of how
to achieve this, aside from well-known foods, is through
STADA Health Report 03
over-the-counter drugs from the pharmacy. Nutritional
supplements like vitamins, magnesium and nutrients can
also improve physical and mental health.
STADA wants to contribute towards this, which is why we
have launched the “All the best” initiative. It is intended to
clarify which aspects of being healthy and staying healthy
Germans are concerned with and what every single one
of us can do to be prepared for the daily challenges in the
long term. Together with top experts, we want to inform as
many people as possible about how to prevent diseases
or how to become healthy again quickly. The new “All the
best” initiative is intended to encourage people to be more
conscious of themselves and their health. This first study
makes an important contribution towards this. The STADA
Health Report will henceforth provide information annually
on how healthy the people in Germany feel. Helping peo-
ple to live a healthier life has incidentally always been our
mission, because STADA offers a suitable solution for al-
most all health-related problems.
I hope you find this first issue informative and exciting to
read.
Yours,
Hartmut Retzlaff
Chairman of the Executive Board of STADA Arzneimittel AG
04 STADA Health Report STADA Health Report 05

2. Summary

Germans’ weather sensitivity

Highlights ● 
When it comes to weather sensitivity, one third of
­Germans moan about the heat in summer.
During the “dark period” of the year in the fall and
Basic data Well-being Weather sensitivity Body culture
●

­winter, lack of light is the greatest strain.

●  The “50+” generation relies on getting fresh air to stave
off common ailments.

2,000
online respondents in Germany
between the ages of 18 and 70
85 % 33 % 53 %
of Germans are satisfied or even very
satisfied with their daily lives
of Germans moan about the heat in
the summer
of people are largely satisfied with
their body weight
2.3 Health–private lives

Health and partnership

● 
Eight out of ten Germans exchange gestures of affec-
tion with their partners even when they have a cold.
● 
People who live in the countryside refrain from sex
2.1 Basic data ● Around 86 percent of people from the middle age when they have a cold more often than those in cities.
group between 30 and 39 years sometimes feel over- ● 
Nine out of ten Germans want to care for their partners
● Survey period: July 8–21, 2014 whelmed in their everyday life. during mild illness.
● Market research institute: Kantar Health, a subsidiary
of the TNS Infratest Group in Germany, on behalf of Impairments in daily life Healthy lifestyle
STADA AG ● Career stress is the number one health risk. Laziness is the main obstacle for Germans when it
●

● Sample: n = 2,000 (online respondents in Germa-
ny between the ages of 18 and 70, chosen to be
­representative of the characteristics of gender, region,
age and education).
2.2 Health in daily life
Overall health situation
● More than 45 percent suffer from one or more chronic
diseases, that is almost every second person.
● 85 percent of Germans are satisfied or even very
­satisfied with their daily lives.
●  Almost one in three uses over-the-counter drugs or
nutritional supplements to improve their health.
● People with a higher level of education suffer more from
career stress and lack of exercise than people with
fewer qualifications.
● People from large households with four or more
people are more prone to work-related stress and
suffer from lack of exercise more often than in
smaller households.
Vices and their effect on health
● Germans consider lack of exercise their worst vice.
● Residents of the former East Germany (including
Berlin) pay more attention to their health than West
Germans.
● The 18 to 29-year-old generation smokes significantly
less often than the national average.
comes to leading a healthier life.
● The 18 to 29-year-old generation want to lead a healthy
life, but do not keep it up.
● The personal importance of health increases with age.
Body culture and weight
● 53 percent of people are largely satisfied with their body
weight–45 percent however are not.
● One in four has given up when it comes to their body
weight, or simply doesn’t care.
● To lose weight, most Germans would rather forgo
­eating dinner than do without breakfast and lunch.
06 STADA Health Report STADA Health Report 07

3. Background, objectives, methodology The study came to the conclusion at the time that ­almost
60 percent of Germans think that they live healthily or very
The new STADA Health Report 2014 will show whether
something changed here or whether the gap between the
healthily. Almost as many estimated their health as good or people who do a lot to make themselves “feel good” and
very good. Conversely, this also meant, however, that four the rather lethargic rest has grown.
out of ten Germans consider their lifestyle as unhealthy.

How healthy does Germany feel? STADA presents the first But let’s take a look at the status quo:
“Health Report” on this topic to appear annually hence- At first glance, we are paying more and more attention to Subjective health
(in percent)
forth. The first edition has been created in close collabo- ourselves and our physical as well as mental well-being:
Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor
ration with Kantar Health, a subsidiary of the prestigious New fitness studios are popping up every week, organic
TNS Infratest Group. For this purpose, market researchers supermarkets are booming. On the other hand, more and
carried out a representative survey of the German-speak- more Germans are complaining of high levels of stress in Women overall 20.7 48.1 24.2 6.0 1.0

ing population as part of an online study in the Federal the workplace and of what is described in modern terms as
Republic of ­Germany. “leisure time stress”. 18–29 years 30.9 55.6 11.5 1.7 0.3

The sample consisted of 2,000 respondents between the Family, friends and the overstimulation we are exposed to 30–44 years 30.1 51.8 15.3 2.5 0.3
ages of 18 and 70. These were selected representatively in the environment all add to this, and work-related factors
based on gender, region, age and education. Thus it is such as constant availability and psychological pressure 45–64 years 17.2 49.7 25.2 6.6 1.3
possible to gather reliable information on trends and ten- also sometimes play a role here. Of course the most com-
dencies for the whole of Germany. mon diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseas- from 65 years on 10.2 38.5 38.7 11.0 1.6
es and back problems also affect well-being. Also in the
­STADA survey, 45 percent said that they had been suffering
The STADA study questionnaire was divided into two from one or more chronic diseases for at least a year.
sections: Men overall 23.4 51.2 19.5 4.8 1.1
According to a study by the Robert Koch Institute from
a. T
 he category “health in daily life” is intended to un- 2010, Germans’ positive self-evaluation of their health 18–29 years 40.4 51.1 7.2 1.0 0.2
cover what the Germans see as challenges in terms decreases with age: Among the then under-29-year-olds,
of health and well-being in daily life. Health knowl- optimism prevailed; 92 percent of men and 87 percent of 30–44 years 30.2 54.1 13.0 2.1 0.7
edge and ­people’s self-assessment of their own health women rated their health as “very good” and “good”. In
situation are surveyed here for example. people over 65, it was just 56 and 49 percent. 45–64 years 16.9 52.8 22.1 6.4 1.8

b. Under the heading “health–private lives”, diverse health Higher education and the region play an important role from 65 years on 10.8 45.1 33.9 8.8 1.3
topics are covered that concern everyone and which here: Women in Bavaria and men in Baden-Württemberg
Germans like to discuss in their private spheres–be it for example estimate themselves more healthy than the
with their partner or with friends. ­national average. Estimates of “very good” or “good” health
were lower for women in the eastern region (south) and men Overall 22.0 49.6 21.9 5.4 1.0
Increasingly new health pictures and ideals as well as in the central region. men and women
­developments will emerge in each new edition. This is an
exciting prospect that will make the STADA Health Report In 2012, the German Sport University Cologne looked into
Robert Koch Institute (ed.) (2012): Facts and Figures: Results of the study “Health in Germany as of 2010”. Contributions to the Federal Health Reporting System. RKI. Berlin.
one of the long-term leading pieces of trend research on the question of what the Germans’ state of health is like in a
the well-being of German citizens. study entitled “How healthily does Germany live”?
08 STADA Health Report STADA Health Report 09

86 %
of people from the middle age group between 30 and 39 years
sometimes feel overwhelmed in their everyday life.
4. Analyses and results

4.1 Health in daily life

Satisfaction with life
(in percent)
4.1.1 Overall health situation
3

45 %
1
I’m very dissatisfied as I Does not know/no statement
The majority of Germans are satisfied with life have trouble dealing with
85 percent of German citizens are satisfied or even very my everyday life

satisfied with their daily lives–and that is despite the fact

11 17
that more than 45 percent, or nearly one in two, suffer from I am dissatisfied
I am very happy with
my everyday life
one or more chronic diseases. Most people are only both- that I am not able
to handle my
ered by small things. With a satisfaction rate of 88.3 per- ­everyday life

suffer from one or more chronic diseases,
that is almost every second person.
68
better
cent, residents of the former East German states (includ-
ing Berlin) are even more satisfied than those in the former
I am actually
West German states with an 84.2 percent satisfaction rate. happy with my
When split into generations, the youngsters between 18 everyday life apart
from a few minor
and 29 and seniors between 60 and 70 years are the most things
satisfied people, i.e., those who are at the beginning or at n = 2,000 © STADA Arzneimittel AG
the end of their working lives. This suggests that work-re-
lated stress has a lasting negative effect on the quality of lane, complain about sometimes feeling overwhelmed in

38.8 %
complain that the expectations, lack of time,
deadlines and “multitasking” from and as a result of their jobs
affect their daily lives the most.
everyday life. Factors that have a positive influence are, for
example, having a partner and a life without financial wor-
ries. 91.3 percent of people with a monthly household net
income of €3,000 or more say they are satisfied. Among
the low-wage earners with an income of less than €1,000,
it’s only 72.2 percent. But what do the Germans do to live
healthily? First and foremost, they try to eat a balanced
diet: 90 percent of Germans pay attention to this, closely
followed by refraining from smoking at 73 percent. About
one in three people rely on over-the-counter drugs or take
nutritional supplements such as ­vitamins or magnesium in
order to strengthen their immune system.
This is especially popular among the 30 to 39-year-olds,
the age group that feels extremely well informed in terms
of health, even though 63.3 percent of them spend less
than €50 a month on staying fit and healthy. 85.8 percent
of this generation, who are in the process of building a
private and professional future and are living life in the fast
their everyday lives–the highest figure of all age groups.
This is more than 20 percent higher than the over-60-year-
olds. They seem to be enjoying what they have achieved
and are probably also taking advantage of a bit of tran-
quility.
At a glance:
● More than 45 percent suffer from one or more
­chronic diseases, that is almost every second
­person.
●  85 percent of Germans are satisfied or even very
satisfied with their daily lives.
●  Almost one in three uses over-the-counter drugs
or nutritional supplements to improve their health.
●  Around 86 percent of people from the middle
age group between 30 and 39 years sometimes
feel overwhelmed in their everyday life.
10 STADA Health Report
4.1.2 Impairments in daily life
Stress at work is the number one health risk
Career stress is the number one health risk for respon-
dents: 38.8 percent, or about four out of ten Germans
complain that the expectations, lack of time, deadlines
and “multitasking” from and as a result of their jobs impact
their daily lives the most. About one in eight believes this
impact to be very strong. Those who work certainly have
less time to do sport and keep their bodies in shape. Lazi-
ness also probably plays a role in this, which explains why
a lack of exercise is ranked second among the biggest
daily impairments.
This is especially true for high-school graduates (Abitur)
and academics: While nearly 50 percent complain about
career stress and nearly 40 percent of them about lack of
exercise, for people with a certificate of secondary edu-
cation (Hauptschulabschluss) it is only about 32 percent.
There is therefore a direct correlation between education
and perceived work-related stress as well as with the
­accompanying lack of exercise.
Also noticeable: People with a chronic illness feel less
frequently stressed by their career’s stress than people
without physical or mental impairment. The chronically
ill obviously find it easier to deal with stress in their jobs.
They do however suffer much more from high levels of
environmental pollution, such as smog and noise, as well
as from other, family problems. This often expresses itself
in the form of psychosomatic problems.
Respondents living with four or more people under one
roof complain more frequently about family conflicts than
smaller households. This is not surprising, because the
number of people living in the household alone increases
the potential for conflict. A higher susceptibility to career
stress and other impairments such as a lack of exercise
can also be observed here. This group also feels more
overwhelmed in everyday life as compared to the average.
Help and organization skills are therefore required in order
to withstand the high stress.
STADA Health Report 11
scribed as generally unhealthy: They do not smoke much
At a glance: (19.5 percent/average 31.6 percent) and drink compara- At a glance:
● 
Career stress is the number one health risk. tively less coffee (11.2 percent/14.4 percent). The lack of ● 
Germans consider a lack of exercise as their worst
● 
People with a higher level of education suffer more exercise is however accompanied by health-endangering vice.
from career stress and lack of exercise than people factors such as “too many sweets”, “too much fast food ● 
Residents of the former East Germany (including
with fewer qualifications. and alcohol” as well as an above-average consumption of Berlin) pay more attention to their health than West
● 
People from large households with four or more meat. On the positive side, they have the insight to be able Germans do.
­people are more prone to work-related stress and to address this. ● 
The 18 to 29-year-old generation smokes significantly
suffer from lack of exercise more often than in less often than the national average.
­smaller households. Broken down regionally, residents of the former East Ger-
man states (including Berlin) have fewer vices than residents
living in former West German states. They indicate that they
move more, eat less sweets, smoke less, drink coffee and 4.1.4 Germans’ weather sensitivity
4.1.3 Vices and their effect on health alcohol less frequently, and go to fast-food restaurants for
a hamburger less often. Therefore, East Germans appear Weather sensitivity in different seasons
Lack of willpower often wins out to be overall more health-conscious than West Germans in (in percent)
What do Germans feel is their worst vice? It’s not the ciga- this respect.
rettes, the glass of beer or the odd burger–lack of exercise
takes the number one spot. 45 percent admit that they This is further suggested by the fact that they are more will-
22 33
None Heat in summer
are too often defeated by their lack of willpower and prefer ing to nip common diseases, like the flu or a cold, a gas-
an evening in front of the TV with chips and nuts to a jog trointestinal infection, or muscle/joint ailments in the bud.
through the city forest–women at 47.4 percent more often 43.8 percent (national average 43.1 percent) go to their
than men at 41.2 percent. This is especially true for Ger- ­family doctor, and more than one third (37.3 percent/36.6 8
mans under 29: One in two is aware of their lack of exer- percent) use over-the-counter drugs from pharmacies. In Springtime
fatigue
cise. Although the lifestyle of this generation cannot be de- the states of former West Germany, on the other hand,
a higher-than-average number of inhabitants (11.3 per- 19
cent/10.9 percent) live by the “bold” motto: “I’ll just wait 19 Cold in winter
Changing weather
The worst vices that plague and see; nothing else helps anyway”. conditions
the Germans
The reasons for this behavior are demonstrated by the n = 2,000 © STADA Arzneimittel AG
Too little exercise 45 %
­responses given to the question about the most com-
Eating too many sweets 42 %
mon causes of death in Germany: Here, residents of Weather sensitivity? Heat bothers Germans the most.
the ­former East Germany (including Berlin) take cardio- Almost every person is sensitive to the weather in some
Smoking too much 32 % vascular diseases and cancer more seriously than those way; some people suffer more during high temperatures
who live in ­former West Germany. The reverse situation and others when temperatures are especially low. For this
Eating too much meat 16 %
is found for lung and liver diseases, which are the third reason, the STADA Health Report wanted to know what
Drinking too much coffee 14 % and fourth cause of death in Germany respectively. An ad- Germans suffer from the most. Even though many Ger-
ditional look at an external analysis done by the Central mans head to sunny destinations in the South for vacation
Eating too much fast food 14 %
Research ­Institute of Ambulatory Health Care in Germany year after year, a third of Germans complain about the heat
Drinking too much alcohol 14 % from 2012 confirms that high blood pressure is currently in the summer–women even more so than men and older
the most common diagnosis made by family physicians. individuals more often than younger ones. On the other
I have no bad habits/vices
14 % The subjective opinion is thus in accord with the actual hand, only 20 percent suffer from the cold temperatures
that I would like to give up
findings. in winter and the fluctuating fall weather. Incidentally, only
n = 2,000 © STADA Arzneimittel AG 21.5 percent of all Germans indicated that they were not
12 STADA Health Report STADA Health Report 13

80 %
of Germans exchange gestures of affection
with their partners even when they have a cold.
sensitive to the weather at all. So what is true about peo-
ple’s preconceptions about the dark months of the year?
What bothers Germans during the fall/winter seasons the
most? Primarily, it is lack of light from which they suffer
the most: 34.1 percent gave this answer, followed closely
by bad, stormy weather (31.8 percent) and the accompa-
nying flu and cold season (18.5 percent). This appears to
increase with age, because at 26.0 percent, young adults
categorically ban kissing when they have a minor cold. In-
terestingly, more married people avoid kissing than those
who are in nonmarital relationships (16.2 to 11.0 percent).
Furthermore, this proportion increases with increasing age
starting from 40 years old.

Four out of ten Germans would not even give up having

sex despite having a cold; this pertains to younger adults
under 29 years of age are affected more than seniors over more than older ones. There is also a discrepancy between
60, whose rate is barely 10.3 percent–and this, although people who live in large cities and those who live in the

55.6 %
say that laziness is the main obstacle for the majority
of people when it comes to leading a healthy life.
generally speaking their immune system has become
weaker. The reason for this could be that the “50+” gen-
eration is more health-conscious. 60 percent of the group
between 50 and 60 years old, as well as 58.8 percent of
the 60 plus group state that they try to get some fresh air
for at least half an hour per day. This makes the national
average just 52.4 percent. For those under 29 years old,
the percentage is an alarming 43.4 percent, although they
do more sports than average and go to work by foot or
bike more often than other age groups. When it comes
to good advice for issues relating to health, 19 percent of
Germans value the opinion of their partners and 14 per-
cent trust the advice that their pharmacist gives them.
countryside: While a cold affects a person’s sex life only for
29.9 percent of the respondents living in (zip-code) regions
with more than 500,000 inhabitants, it has an impact on
34.1 percent of the respondents who live in regions with
less than 20,000 inhabitants.
However, this does not appear to have anything to do with
having less of an emotional bond. Because 50.5 percent
of the population living in the countryside would reduce
the discomfort that their partner has from his/her cold,
even if it meant that they would catch the cold themselves.
In comparison: For inhabitants of big cities it is only 46.1
percent. Incidentally, the age group of Germans who an-
swered “yes” here the least, was the age group between
50 and 59 years old. Apparently, here reason won the up-

45 %
At a glance: per hand over love.
● 
When it comes to weather sensitivity, one third of
Germans moan about the heat in summer.
● During the “dark period” of the year in the fall and Germans’ exchanging gestures of affection
winter, lack of light is the greatest strain. with partners despite being ill
● The “50+” generation relies on getting fresh air to (in percent)

stave off common ailments.

5 3
I don’t know No statement

4.2 Health–private lives

15
No, I don’t kiss
are dissatisfied with their weight. her/him at all if
she/he has a cold
4.2.1 Health and partnership

39
Germans kiss and cuddle despite having a cold 39 Yes, I kiss her/him
Is it forbidden for partners to kiss when one of them has a Yes, little gestures of on the mouth,
affection, like a kiss on although she/he has
cold? “No”, say eight out of ten Germans. They exchange the cheek, are also still a cold
gestures of affection with their partners, even when there completely o.k.

is a risk that they might become infected. Only 15 percent n = 2,000 © STADA Arzneimittel AG
14 STADA Health Report
However, still gratifying: For 89 percent of Germans, it goes
without saying that they will take care of their partner when
(s)he has a cold, flu, gastrointestinal infection, or muscle/joint
ailments. 56 percent already give their partners this type of
care.
At a glance:
● 
Eight out of ten Germans exchange gestures of affec-
tion with their partners even when they have a cold.
●
People who live in the countryside refrain from sex
when they have a cold more often than those in cities.
● Nine out of ten Germans want to care for their part-
ners during mild illness.
4.2.2 Healthy lifestyle
18 to 29-year-olds want to live healthy lives, but they
don’t
According to most Germans, laziness is the biggest hin-
drance for the majority of people when it comes to leading a
healthy life. This was suggested by at least 55.6 percent of
their fellow human beings. There is significant disagreement
about the other reasons for this. Germans believe that other
reasons include, first and foremost, people’s stress from work
and the temptations people face in our consumer society.
However, clearer statements in terms of making a self-as-
sessment are possible: Nearly six out of ten Germans think
the biggest benefit obtained from a healthy lifestyle is “sim-
ply feeling better”. Interestingly, the highest score among
the different age groups here is the under 29-year-olds, de-
spite the fact that this age group in particular stands out
for consuming too many sweets and too much fast food,
alcohol, and meat. 9 percent of them answered that their
motivation for having a healthy lifestyle was “to look good”
which is a percentage that is comparatively high. Among
the national average this percentage is just about half.
Thus, it is inevitable that this generation is often the tar-
get of criticism when it comes to their tendency to lead a
rather unhealthy lifestyle. 32.1 percent, or a third of those
surveyed, indicate that they have come under fire at least
once. Interestingly, 10 percent of this age group also say
that they have been criticized for having “too” healthy a life-
style. There is thus a disparity within the same generation
here: On the one hand, there is the large majority of couch
potatoes who are pushing for a healthy lifestyle but who
don’t do anything themselves to achieve it. On the other
hand, there are “health fanatics” who sometimes overdo it
by doing too much exercise, for instance. People’s opin-
ions differ, especially when it comes to the intensity level of
sports or exercise.
Is it dangerous to be physically active when you have a
cold? Here it depends whether it is a reasonable level of ac-
tivity, as is often the case. Every tenth German also doesn’t
think it is a problem to do sports or exercise despite having
a cold. Especially younger individuals appear to be pain-free
here. However, as people get older, this percentage falls
significantly: 15.2 percent of 29-year-olds do sports despite
having a cold and in the 60 to 70-year-old age group it is
just about 3.8 percent.
It is no wonder that this age group points out that their
health has paramount importance and aspects like con-
sumerism and looking good only play a minor part in their
lives. Practically the reverse image can be seen in the un-
der-29-year-olds. It is worthwhile taking another look at the
30 to 39-year-old age group, who generally speaking drive
in the fast lane in terms of their careers.
They stress how important their personal freedom is and
say: “For this reason, I still smoke and won’t give up my
Germans’ hindrances for a healthier life
Many people are simply too lazy
Everyday working life often doesn’t
38 %
allow for a healthier lifestyle
Our consumer society makes it
36 %
difficult to have a healthy lifestyle
Many people do not know how
23 %
they can lead a healthier life
No statement 4 %
n = 2,000 © STADA Arzneimittel AG
STADA Health Report 15
beer in the evening.” Their own health only plays a low-
er-than-average role in their lives. Satisfied with body weight
(in percent)
1 17
At a glance: Doesn’t know/no statement Are very satisfied
● 
Laziness is the main obstacle for Germans when it
comes to leading a healthier life. 12
● 
The 18 to 29-year-old generation want to lead a Are very dissatisfied
healthy life, but do not keep it up.
● 
The personal importance of health increases with
age.
33 36
Are rather dissatisfied Are rather satisfied
4.2.3 Body culture and weight
n = 2,000 © STADA Arzneimittel AG
Almost every second German is unhappy with their body
weight Germans: 38 percent of those surveyed indicated that
Germany is divided: 53 percent of the population is “rath- they would most likely forgo eating in the evening in order
erˮ to “veryˮ satisfied with their body weight. On the other to lose weight. By contrast, the fewest number of people
hand, 45 percent is “ratherˮ to “veryˮ dissatisfied with it. would want to leave out breakfast and lunch.
The people who are the most happy with their own weight
are male university graduates living in the states of former
East Germany who are between the ages of 18 and 29 At a glance:
and live in a large city. Women from the states of former ● 
53 percent of people are largely satisfied with their
West Germany who are between the ages of 50 and 59 body weight–45 percent however are not.
years old and live in the countryside or in a small town tend ● 
One in four has given up when it comes to their body
to be unsatisfied with their body weight. Apparently cities weight, or simply doesn’t care.
give people a better basis to achieve their personal ideal ● 
To lose weight, most Germans would rather forgo
weight due to the variety of options available there. eating dinner than do without breakfast and lunch.
27 percent of Germans, or just about one quarter of
the population, have no problem maintaining their body
weight. On the other hand, 18 percent have to invest a lot
of time and effort for this. However, resignation is wide-
56 %
spread in a quarter of the population. They consider them-
selves to be a “hopeless case” or they just simply don’t
care about their weight at all. Germans turn out to be very
heterogeneous.
And yet where should one start when it comes to losing
weight? Does it also matter what time a person eats during
the day? Studies that show that a heavy dinner tends to
put on more weight than a large mid-day meal are contro-
versial. And yet the myth still prevails in the minds of most
Author
STADA Arzneimittel AG
Stadastraße 2–18
61118 Bad Vilbel
Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 61 01/6 03-0
Fax: +49 (0) 61 01/6 03-2 59
E-mail: info@stada.de
Website: www.stada.de and www.stada.com

Publisher
STADA Arzneimittel AG

Responsible according to German press law

Christian Goertz

Project management and editorial office

STADA Arzneimittel AG, Bad Vilbel
Market research: Kantar Health, a subsidiary of the TNS Infratest Group in Germany
Layout/design: komm.passion GmbH
Printed by: grass und partner, Wuppertal

Copyright
© 2014 by STADA Arzneimittel AG

The latest information about the STADA Group can be found on the Internet at www.stada.de or www.stada.com.

Legal notice
Publications–either in their entirety or in part–are only permitted if the source and copyrights are indicated.

This publication is protected by copyright. All duplications are expressly prohibited if and provided that an express written consent on the
part of STADA Arzneimittel AG has not been given. An exception to this is the duplication exclusively for personal and other private use.

Send file copy request to:

STADA Arzneimittel AG
Media Relations
Phone: +49 (0) 61 01/6 03-165
Fax: + 49 (0) 61 01/6 03-5 06
E-mail: press@stada.de