Numbers

What really counts: six numbers and what you can do

Cardiovascular disease and cancer cause more than half of all deaths in Germany. Much depends on a few factors, and small steps can help.

Key points

In 2025, around 1 million people died in Germany: about 334,000 from cardiovascular disease and 229,000 from cancer [1].
Losing about 5% of body weight can noticeably improve blood pressure, blood sugar and blood fats. The guideline says up to 70% achieve this [2].
Waist size, blood pressure, movement and smoking are factors you can work on.

Waist size

Number: More than half of adults are overweight, 53.5% (RKI) [3].

Why it counts: Abdominal fat is more closely linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes than weight alone. The guideline gives a rule of thumb: waist size should be no more than half your height. At 1.70 m, that means 85 cm. It lists thresholds of 88 cm for women and 102 cm for men [2].

What you can do: Measure your waist at belly-button height once a month and record it in Stoffradar.

Blood pressure

Number: More than one in three adults has high blood pressure, 36.3% [4].

Why it counts: It does not hurt, but you can measure it. Lowering systolic pressure by 10 mmHg is linked to around a quarter fewer strokes [5].

What you can do: Measure it calmly at home, morning and evening, for a few days. Take the readings to your healthcare practice. The threshold at home is slightly lower than in the practice [6].

Type 2 diabetes

Number: Around 6 million adults in Germany have type 2 diabetes, 8.6% [7].

Why it counts: In a large study, risk fell by 58% when people with raised blood sugar lost about 7% of their weight. They also exercised for 150 minutes a week [8]. In another study, 46% returned to normal blood sugar through weight loss. For losses of 15 kg or more, it was 86% [9].

What you can do: Ask about checking blood sugar or HbA1c at your next preventive appointment.

Smoking

Number: Around 131,000 deaths a year are attributed to smoking, one in seven [10].

Why it counts: Quitting helps at any age. After 5 years, the risk of heart disease and stroke is half that of continuing to smoke [10].

What you can do: Support increases your chances. Germany’s free Rauchfrei helpline is 0800 8 31 31 31. More information: rauchfrei-info.de.

Muscles

Number: Weight loss also includes muscle loss. In a large semaglutide study, fat fell by 19.3% and fat-free mass by 9.7% [11].

Why it counts: Large observational studies link regular strength exercise with a 10 to 17% lower risk of death [12].

What you can do: Exercise the major muscle groups twice a week, for example with squats or wall push-ups. Even 30 to 60 minutes a week helps [13].

Movement

Number: Walking about 7,000 steps a day is linked to a 47% lower risk of death than walking 2,000 steps [14].

Why it counts: The largest gain comes at the start.

What you can do: Check today’s step count and add 1,000. WHO recommends 150 to 300 minutes of brisk activity a week [13].

What you can do

Pick one factor, not all six at once. Stoffradar helps you record waist size, weight, training and protein in your weight-loss profile.

Written by Marc · last reviewed on 25/10/2026

Sources

Does not replace medical advice.

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