Health Study 2025: Only 2% of Germans Live a Fully Healthy Life – Lack of Exercise, Chronic Stress and Record Sitting Times

The new DKV Report 2025 delivers alarming insights: Only 2% of the German population fulfill all benchmarks for a fully healthy lifestyle – a historical low. This marks a sharp drop from 9% in 2023.

The steepest declines are seen in stress management and nutrition. Only 20% of respondents manage their stress in a healthy way, and just 34% meet nutrition recommendations. The share of those who completely abstain from alcohol – the new, stricter benchmark – is only 29%.

Another red flag: Sitting times have reached a record high of 613 minutes per weekday (over 10 hours). Although 68% of respondents meet physical activity recommendations, there’s a significant lack in muscle-strengthening activity, with only one-third meeting the minimum.

Young adults are more likely to abstain from alcohol, while older people perform better in nutrition and stress management. Academics consistently outperform other education groups across nearly all health categories.

Body mass index also plays a role: People with obesity meet the benchmarks significantly less often – particularly in exercise and stress management.

The study authors call for targeted prevention, education, and low-threshold support, to improve health literacy and create environments that support healthy living. Because: a healthy lifestyle is achievable – but it requires joint efforts from politics, society, and individuals.