Overview

• The Robert Koch-Institut's latest survey shows that one in five adults aged 35–69 in Germany has an elevated or high 10-year risk of a first heart attack or stroke.
• Half of those identified at elevated or high risk significantly underestimate their likelihood of cardiovascular disease, according to the report.
• Key risk factors include hypertension, diabetes, obesity, smoking, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity, with men generally at higher risk than women.
• The study, based on data from 3,270 telephone interviews conducted between June 2022 and January 2023, excluded individuals with prior heart attack or stroke diagnoses.
• The RKI recommends an online self-assessment tool by the German Institute for Nutritional Research to help individuals evaluate and reduce their cardiovascular risk.