Overview

• Only about 16% of 5th–10th graders show high health competence, and 84% report little motivation to engage with health topics.
• Students with low competence report more psychosomatic complaints, depressive symptoms and loneliness, with 45% indicating reduced wellbeing versus 27% among peers with high competence.
• Emotional strain remains elevated, with 65% feeling exhausted at least weekly, roughly 30% facing frequent sleep problems and 18% reporting recurring headaches.
• Girls and socially disadvantaged students are most affected, including depressive symptoms in 27% of girls and in 43% of girls aged 14–17 with low socioeconomic status, while 41% of girls report frequent loneliness compared with 25% of boys.
• IFT-Nord gathered the data in the 2024/25 school year across 116 schools in 14 states, and DAK CEO Andreas Storm proposes a new subject titled Health and Prevention.