Over half of German adults are overweight, study shows

According to the 2025 Microcensus from the Federal Statistical Office, 53.4 % of adults in Germany have a body‑mass index (BMI) above 25, classifying them as overweight, and 17.9 % are obese (BMI ≥ 30). Men are disproportionately affected, with 62.6 % overweight and 19.9 % obese, compared with 43.8 % and 15.8 % respectively for women. The average weight of Germans has risen modestly to 78.3 kg (men 86.5 kg, women 69.7 kg), while average height remains stable at about 1.73 m. Overweight prevalence increases with age, peaking among those aged 50‑59.

Health research links early‑life obesity to a markedly higher cancer risk. Swedish scientists analysing 630 000 individuals found that men who became obese before age 30 face up to a five‑fold increase in liver cancer and double the risk of kidney and pancreatic cancers; women show a similar rise in endometrial cancer risk. A separate Norwegian study presented at the European Obesity Congress in Istanbul showed that a rapid, calorie‑restricted diet (under 1,000 kcal per day for eight weeks) achieved an average 13 % weight loss after four months and about 14 % after one year, outperforming a slower, moderate‑calorie reduction approach.