Healthy living Being overweight – physical and psychological effects

Adults who have a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25 are usually considered overweight. A BMI of more than 30 indicates that the body’s fat content is much too high. This makes them severely overweight or obese.

BMI is a measure of a person’s weight compared to their height. Different reference values​apply to children and adolescents due to their growth.

You can calculate your own BMI using the BMI calculator provided by the Federal Institute for Public Health (Bundesinstitut für Öffentliche Gesundheit, BIÖG). The BIÖG provides a separate BMI calculator for children and adolescents (aged 1 to 18), which allows a direct comparison between BMI and growth curves.

For this reason, abdominal circumference or the ratio of abdominal circumference to waist circumference is often measured in addition to BMI.

There are various reasons for being overweight and, for some people, the reason is a mental or physical illness or genetic disposition. Certain medications can also make weight gain more likely, including psychotropic drugs or diabetes medication. In the majority of cases, however, people become overweight because their diet is too rich in fat and sugar and because they are not getting enough physical activity. Dealing with stress and social factors also play their part.

Being overweight and, in particular, being obese can increase the risk of developing certain diseases and sometimes significantly reduce a person’s quality of life.

People who are overweight or have an excess of visceral abdominal fat should never go on crash diets to lose weight. Professional advice and support are available from doctors, therapists, trained nutritional consultants and self-help groups.

For further information about severe overweight (obesity), visit the website of the German Association for the Study of Obesity (Deutsche Adipositas Gesellschaft, DAG).

Diets and new approaches to nutrition are among the most common Internet searches. The reason for this is that many people in Germany, including a large number of children and adolescents, are very overweight and are trying to lose weight. In Germany, around 7 in 10 men and a little over 5 in 10 women are overweight. Among the adult population, around 1 in 4 are severely overweight (obese).

Children and adolescents are also affected, with around 15 percent being overweight and around 6 percent severely overweight (obese).

Striving to reach and maintain a healthy weight is always a worthwhile goal. That’s because obesity in particular is associated with an increased risk of developing many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer and joint and musculoskeletal problems (such as osteoarthritis and back pain). In addition, conditions like sleep apnea, irregular menstrual cycles in women, and mental health problems and conditions are more likely to occur. These are caused by changes in hormonal balance, disturbances of the metabolism and increased inflammatory reactions due to an increase in fatty tissue.

Detailed information about secondary health conditions that can occur with obesity is available on the national information portal Diabinfo.de.

The two main ways to avoid becoming overweight are to eat a balanced diet and to get enough exercise. That’s because one main reason for becoming overweight is consuming more calories in a day than the body actually needs or uses.

If you are already overweight, simply eating less, going on crash diets or eating low-calorie, nutrient-poor foods is not the answer. Losing weight in a healthy way is more about eating healthier foods and consuming less unhealthy fat, sugar, fast food, pasta, white bread and ultra-processed food such as ready meals.

Freshly prepared meals with lots of vegetables and high-fiber ingredients such as whole grain products and pulses are much healthier. They also keep people fuller for longer, so that they eat less and are more likely to lose weight. The choice of what to drink also plays a role, as alcohol, sugary juices and carbonated drinks are all conducive to weight gain.

Another factor making people more likely to become overweight is lack of exercise. Our way of life has changed dramatically over the past decades – we now spend more time sitting or standing than we do moving around, both at work and in our leisure time. This means that our bodies are often not moving enough to burn excess calories. The good news for “couch potatoes” is that introducing even a little exercise every day (such as climbing the stairs or walking) can make a big difference. As a rule of thumb, everyone should take 10,000 steps a day where possible.

Good tips for ensuring more exercise in everyday life:

• Use your bike instead of your car and take the stairs instead of the elevator more often.
• If you use public transport, get off one or two stops earlier and walk the rest of the way whenever you can.
• Walk – half an hour a day can make a big difference.
• Combine the useful with the enjoyable – a walk or a bike ride at the weekend, playing rough and tumble with the kids, swimming in a lake in summer, climbing or swimming in an indoor pool in winter.

If people want to exercise regularly, they shouldn't be afraid to try out a few different things to find something that they really enjoy and that fits into their everyday life in the long term. A welcome side effect of regular exercise is that it not only burns calories, but also boosts mood and self-confidence, which generally improves quality of life and can also contribute to a healthy diet.

Our article Healthy through exercise provides detailed information and tips for incorporating more physical activity into daily life.

The National Action Plan’s web portal IN FORM – German national initiative to promote healthy diets and physical activity offers articles and tips on healthy eating and exercise as well as a wide range of recipes (in German). The IN FORM National Action Plan aims to bring about lasting improvements in diet and exercise habits in Germany and to prevent inadequate nutrition, inactivity, obesity and associated health conditions.

The movement finder provided by the Federal Institute for Public Health helps adolescents discover their “movement type” and what sort of sports and exercise would suit them.

There are various reasons why people become overweight. For some, eating is a reward. Stress and lack of sleep can also contribute to unhealthy weight gain. It is important for people to recognize their triggers and make sure that they get more rest and reduce their stress, for example. But habits often play a role, too. People often become accustomed to eating convenient fast food due to a lack of time or because they have “always” eaten this way.

The good news is that people can gradually break out of their behavior patterns. Many people are surprised when they discover how straightforward healthy cooking can be and how good well-balanced, low-fat dishes can taste. These days, it’s also easy to find freshly prepared take-out meals and snacks.

Cutting out certain foods or making radical changes in diet from one day to the next are not very sensible approaches, especially as they usually lead to relapses or the well-known yo-yo dieting. People should take time and gradually switch to a healthier diet without putting too much pressure on themselves.

The following tips may help:

• Keep a food diary: Writing down what you eat gives you an initial overview and provides a foundation for building new habits.
• Eat smaller portions and replace unhealthy snacks such as sweets and high-fat snacks with fruit, vegetables, nuts or whole grain products.
• Do your own cooking – prepare simple, healthy dishes and integrate them into everyday life. Vegetables, whole grain products and pulses should be essential ingredients.
• Gradually avoid canteen meals or fast food at lunchtime in favor of salads or food that you cooked yourself at home.
• Replace sugary and alcoholic drinks with water or other calorie-free drinks, such as unsweetened teas.

For more information and tips, see our article Healthy eating – a balanced and varied diet.

A comprehensive list of support groups, hospitals, doctors, and therapists providing support to those who are overweight or obese is available on the website of AdipositasHilfe Deutschland e.V (“Obesity Support Germany”).