Social, health-related, and environmental factors influencing sleep problems of children, adolescents and young adults

Sleep is a relevant factor for functioning and well-being of young people. The paper provides a differentiated description of sleep difficulties in this population group including social, health-related, and environmental factors. The analyses included n=6,728 11- to 17-year-olds of the KiGGS baseline study (2003–2006) and 6,072 young adults (age 18–31), who provided information relating sleep in the survey KiGGS Wave 2 (2014–2017). Information from 3,567 people was evaluated at two survey points. 22.0% of the 11- to 17-year-olds reported sleep difficulties. A significant impact for the sex (female), living with a single parent, and with siblings is reflected in the logistic regression. The risk for sleep difficulties increases significantly in the case of mental problems and pain. Among the 18- to 31-year-olds, 19.6% complained of difficulties falling asleep and sleeping through the night. In addition to sex, noise exposure, a low level of education, the professional situation, and living with children were reflected as important influencing factors in the logistic regressions. Over one third of those, who suffered from sleep problems as children and adolescents, also indicated sleep difficulties almost ten years later. The high prevalence of sleep problems and the associated health risks illustrate the high public health relevance of the topic. In addition to sex, health-related and environmental variables also turned out to be significant and need to be considered in the development of interventions

Smoking behaviour and passive smoke exposure of adults – Results from GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS

Background: Smoking is a significant health risk and the leading cause of premature death. Passive smoke causes the same negative effects on health as smoking, albeit to a lesser extent. The reduction of tobacco consumption and the protection against passive smoke are thus important health objectives. Methods: The study German Health Update (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS) is a cross-sectional telephone survey (04/2019 to 09/2020) of the resident population in Germany with questions relating to the current smoking behaviour and relating to the passive smoke exposure. The analysis sample comprises 22,708 persons from 18 years of age. Results: 24.0% of women and 33.9% of men from 18 years of age smoke currently, at least occasionally. Among both sexes, adults from 65 years of age smoke significantly more rarely than adults in the younger age groups. 4.1% of adults, who do not smoke themselves, are subjected daily to passive smoke exposure indoors. This affects in particular young adults and men. There are educational differences in tobacco consumption and in passive smoke exposure to the disadvantage of adults from lower educational groups. Conclusions: In Germany, there is still a need for action for effective measures for tobacco prevention, smoking cessation and tobacco control policy, which are effective in all population groups and which take into account the concerns of socially disadvantaged groups

Overweight and obesity among adults in Germany - Results from GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS

Background: Overweight and obesity and their associated secondary diseases are of high public health relevance. Methods: Self-reported body weight and body height data are available in the study German Health Update (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS). The body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was calculated and overweight (including obesity, BMI ≥25 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) were derived. Results: According to this self-report, 53.5% of adults in Germany are overweight, men more often than women. The obesity prevalence for both sexes is 19.0%. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increases with age in both women and men. Obesity is significantly more prevalent in low education groups compared to high education groups. Compared to GEDA 2012, the prevalence of overweight is unchanged, but the obesity prevalence has continued to increase, particularly among 45- to 64-year-olds. Conclusion: The prevention potential of avoiding overweight and obesity remains high

How much do adults sit? Result from the German Health Update (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS)

Background: Sedentary behaviour is increasingly perceived as a risk factor for the development of diseases and for increased mortality. In particular, increased time spent sitting in combination with low physical activity seems to have negative health consequences. Methods: In the nationwide cross-sectional study German Health Update (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS), the indicator ‘sitting’ was captured by the self-report of the participants. Results: For at least eight hours a day, 16.7% of women and 22.3% of men sit: Men more often than women, younger persons more often than older persons and the proportion increases significantly from the low to the high education group. Similarly, about one fifth of adults in Germany sit for at least four hours a day and do not engage in physical activity in their leisure time. Conclusion: The results indicate that preventive measures are needed to reduce time spent sitting and increase physical activit

Participation of the adult population in preventive measures for non-communicable diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020/2021

Background: In 2020/2021, the COVID-19 pandemic and the protective measures associated therewith severely limited the opportunity to participate in prevention and health promotion measures. The article examines the utilisation of the measures and possible factors that are associated with a lower participation during these pandemic years. Methods: It is based on data acquired between March and August 2021 from the study ‘COVID-19 vaccination rate monitoring in Germany’ (COVIMO), a cross-sectional telephone survey. The data was used to examine the participation in preventive measures in the last 12 months in terms of sociodemographic factors and to analyse a decreased participation with regard to pandemic-related factors. The analysis sample includes individuals aged 18 years and over (n=3,998). Results: 63% of participants generally did not use these programmes, 7% indicated an unchanged participation, 28% reported having participated in fewer measures, and 2% in more measures. Men reported significantly more often than women that they generally do not participate in prevention and health promotion measures. A relevant pandemic-related factor for decreased participation of men was the less clearly perceived comprehensibility of the regulations against the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Conclusions: Prevention and health promotion should be part of the contingency planning in epidemically significant situations to prevent a decreased participation and to promote health and gender-related equal opportunities even in a crisis

Depressive Symptomatik bei Erwachsenen in Deutschland

Eine depressive Symptomatik ist mit Beeinträchtigungen von Lebensqualität, erhöhter Morbidität und Mortalität sowie vermehrter Inanspruchnahme des Gesundheitssystems assoziiert. Informationen zur Häufigkeit und Verteilung von depressiver Symptomatik in der Bevölkerung sind bedeutsam für die Planung von Prävention und Gesundheitsversorgung. In der Studie GEDA 2014/2015-EHIS wurde eine aktuelle depressive Symptomatik bei Erwachsenen in Deutschland mit dem Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) erhoben. Die Gesamtprävalenz von insgesamt 10,1 % belegt die weite Verbreitung von depressiver Symptomatik – auch jenseits des Vorliegens einer klinischen Depressionsdiagnose. Bei Frauen besteht eine depressive Symptomatik mit 11,6 % häufiger als bei Männern mit 8,6 %. Es zeigen sich weitere Unterschiede nach Alter und Bildungsstatus sowie regionale Unterschiede. Die Ergebnisse werden im Kontext der bisherigen Datenlage diskutiert

Depressive symptoms in the general population before and in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the GEDA 2019/2020 study

Background: Study results on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the first year of the pandemic are contradictory. The GEDA 2019/2020 study makes it possible to examine changes in depressive symptoms in the population. Methods: A standardised telephone interview was used to survey a random sample of the population in Germany aged 15 and older. To exclude seasonal effects, 10,220 interviewees from the period April 2019 to January 2020 were compared with 11,900 from the period April 2020 to January 2021. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the internationally established 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms decreased from 9.2% to 7.6% in the first year of the pandemic. Changes differ between women and men as well as between age and education groups. The analysis of individual symptoms suggests that it is not about a reduction of mental disorders of the depressive type in the narrower sense, but rather a decrease in stress-associated individual symptoms. Conclusions: The decrease in stress-associated depressive symptoms in parts of the population can be interpreted as an indication that pandemic-related changes in everyday life and the working environment may have had a positive effect on individual areas of mental health in certain groups, at least temporarily in the first year of the pandemic. The continuing strong social inequality in depressive symptoms to the disadvantage of low education groups confirms that the need for social situation-related health promotion and prevention with regard to the living and working conditions of socially disadvantaged people must not be lost sight of in times of pandemic. For groups in the population that partly showed a worsening of symptoms in this phase of the pandemic, e.g. the diminished ability to concentrate of very old men, targeted support options should be created in the future

Rauchverhalten und Passivrauchbelastung Erwachsener – Ergebnisse aus GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS

Hintergrund: Rauchen ist ein bedeutendes Gesundheitsrisiko und die führende Ursache vorzeitiger Sterblichkeit. Passivrauch verursacht dieselben negativen gesundheitlichen Folgen wie das Rauchen, wenn auch in einem geringeren Ausmaß. Die Verringerung des Tabakkonsums und der Schutz vor Passivrauch sind daher wichtige gesundheitspolitische Ziele. Methode: Die Studie Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS) ist eine telefonische Querschnittbefragung (04/2019 bis 09/2020) der in Deutschland lebenden Wohnbevölkerung mit Fragen zum aktuellen Rauchverhalten und zur Passivrauchbelastung. Die Analysestichprobe umfasst 22.708 Personen ab 18 Jahren. Ergebnisse: 24,0 % der Frauen und 33,9 % der Männer ab 18 Jahren rauchen aktuell, zumindest gelegentlich. Bei beiden Geschlechtern rauchen Erwachsene ab 65 Jahren deutlich seltener als Erwachsene in den jüngeren Altersgruppen. 4,1 % der Erwachsenen, die selbst nicht rauchen, sind täglich Passivrauchbelastung in geschlossenen Räumen ausgesetzt. Das betrifft besonders junge Erwachsene und Männer. Es bestehen Bildungsunterschiede im Tabakkonsum und in der Passivrauchbelastung zuungunsten von Erwachsenen aus unteren Bildungsgruppen. Schlussfolgerungen: In Deutschland besteht weiterhin Handlungsbedarf für eine effektive Maßnahmen der Tabakprävention, Rauchentwöhnung und Tabakkontrollpolitik, die in allen Bevölkerungsgruppen wirken und die Belange sozial benachteiligter Gruppen berücksichtige

Übergewicht und Adipositas bei Erwachsenen in Deutschland - Ergebnisse der Studie GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS

Hintergrund: Übergewicht und Adipositas und die damit verbundenen Folgekrankheiten sind von hoher Public-Health- Relevanz. Methode: In der Studie Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS) liegen Selbstangaben zu Körpergewicht und Körpergröße vor. Daraus wurde der Body-Mass-Index (BMI, kg/m2) berechnet und die Indikatoren Übergewicht (einschließlich Adipositas, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) und Adipositas (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) abgeleitet. Ergebnisse: Laut dieser Selbstauskunft sind in Deutschland 53,5 % der Erwachsenen von Übergewicht betroffen, Männer häufiger als Frauen. Die Adipositasprävalenz liegt für beide Geschlechter bei 19,0 %. Mit zunehmendem Alter steigt bei Frauen und Männern die Prävalenz von Übergewicht sowie Adipositas an. Adipositas ist in unteren Bildungsgruppen im Vergleich zu oberen Bildungsgruppen deutlich häufiger zu finden. Im Vergleich zu GEDA 2012 ist die Prävalenz von Übergewicht unverändert, die Adipositasprävalenz hat jedoch weiter zugenommen, insbesondere bei den 45- bis 64-Jährig Schlussfolgerung: Das Präventionspotenzial, Übergewicht und Adipositas zu vermeiden, ist nach wie vor groß

Wie viel sitzen Erwachsene? Ergebnisse der Studie Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS)

Hintergrund: Sitzendes Verhalten wird zunehmend als ein Risikofaktor für die Entstehung von Erkrankungen und für eine erhöhte Sterblichkeit wahrgenommen. Insbesondere erhöhte Sitzzeiten in Kombination mit geringer körperlicher Aktivität scheinen negative Gesundheitsfolgen zu haben. Methode: In der bundesweiten Querschnittstudie Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS) wurde der Indikator „Sitzen“ durch die Selbstangabe der Teilnehmenden erfasst. Ergebnisse: Für mindestens acht Stunden am Tag sitzen 16,7 % der Frauen und 22,3 % der Männer: Männer häufiger als Frauen, Jüngere häufiger als Ältere und der Anteil nimmt von der unteren zur oberen Bildungsgruppe deutlich zu. Ebenso sitzt etwa ein Fünftel der Erwachsenen in Deutschland mindestens vier Stunden am Tag und übt keine körperliche Aktivität in der Freizeit aus. Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass präventive Maßnahmen notwendig sind, um Sitzzeiten zu reduzieren und körperliche Aktivität zu steiger