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Haleon and Wort & Bild Verlag present a joint survey on the topic of prevention.
Exercise is an important part of health promotion and health prevention. But the reality is different: Germans do not exercise enough. This is shown by a new survey by Haleon together with Wort & Bild Verlag. According to the survey, well over half of Germans are not regularly physically active. The reasons? There is a lack of motivation and suitable exercise opportunities, including family and professional ones. Obligations are cited as causes. But also: pain that restricts many people in Germany when it comes to exercise. A vicious circle, because less exercise often means even more pain.
With the Gamechanger Prevention survey, Haleon wants to draw attention to the great importance of exercise in everyday life for effective health promotion and prevention and encourage more exercise. In addition, the survey focuses on pharmacies as "ambassadors" for prevention. After all, it is the local pharmacy that can relieve the burden on the healthcare system as an easily accessible, familiar and easily accessible place for health issues.
Only 1 in 8 Germans are aware of the complete requirements of the WHO as well as the National Recommendations for Exercise and Physical Activity Promotion with regard to endurance and strength training.
Only 1 in 8 Germans is aware of the complete guidelines of the WHO as well as the National Recommendations for Exercise and Physical Activity Promotion with regard to endurance activities and muscle-strengthening exercises. Almost half already underestimate the amount of endurance activities required. In fact, at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise per week are recommended.
Weekly training frequency: Muscle strengthening
Weekly training frequency: Muscle strengthening
| Answer | Percent |
| Not on any day | 24,9 % |
| In 1 day | 14,4 % |
| In 2 days | 22,0 % |
| 3 days a week | 18,9 % |
| 4 days a week | 7,2 % |
| 5 days a week | 5,3 % |
| 6 days a week | 2,4 % |
| All 7 days | 4,9 % |
More than half of the population is not regularly physically active. In addition, four out of ten respondents do not perform regular exercises to strengthen muscles. And less than a third of adults walk at least 10 minutes at a time every day (31.1 percent).
The main barriers to exercise in everyday life
The main barriers to exercise in everyday life
| Reason | Women | Men |
| Lack of motivation | 34,7 % | 28,6 % |
| Family obligations | 30,5 % | 30,8 % |
Physical inactivity has complex causes, which lie both in the individual living conditions and in the local conditions. Lack of motivation and family obligations are the main reasons for both sexes. Furthermore, half of the respondents state that there are no or only few sports and exercise opportunities in their immediate living environment. Spatial accessibility therefore also remains a relevant factor.
Increase in physical inactivity in old age
Pain as a barrier to physical activity
Increase in physical inactivity in old age
| Age group | Percentage of physical activity |
| 18 to 29 year olds | 55,4 % |
| 55 to 65 year olds | 63,5 % |
Pain as a barrier to physical activity
| Age group | Percentage of freedom from pain or discomfort |
| 18-29 years | 5,4 % |
| 30-44 years | 9,4 % |
| 45-54 years | 11,7 % |
| 55-65 years | 20,6 % |
The survey results show that physical activity decreases with age. At the same time, it becomes clear that physical complaints such as pain play an increasingly important role as an obstacle to exercise with increasing age. A vicious circle: The decrease in physical activity leads to muscles deteriorating and joints becoming more unstable; this further increases pain, which in turn increases inactivity.
Influence of pain on daily movement
Influence of pain on daily movement
| Degree of restriction in the last month | Share |
| Slightly restricted | 48,9 % |
| Significantly limited | 17,1 % |
| Severely restricted | 4,1 % |
| Not restricted | 29,9 % |
Supplementary data from a separate survey show how severely pain affects the daily movement of people in Germany: 70.1 percent of Germans were restricted in their mobility by pain in the last month, of which 48.9 percent were "slightly", 17.1 percent "significantly" and 4.1 percent "severely" restricted.
A clear majority (57.5 percent) of respondents criticize the fact that the German health care system prioritizes incorrectly: In the opinion of the respondents, more emphasis is placed on the treatment of diseases that have already arisen than on the actual maintenance of health and prevention.
"I think it makes sense for pharmacies to take on more tasks in prevention and health promotion in the future."
For the vast majority of Germans, the local pharmacy is an easily accessible and easily accessible point of contact for health issues.
"I would take advantage of health promotion and prevention offers in my local pharmacy."
More than three-quarters of the population are in favour of pharmacies taking on more tasks in prevention and health promotion in the future, and almost as many people would actively use these services locally.
"I think it makes sense for pharmacies to take on more tasks in prevention and health promotion in the future."
| Answer | Share |
| Agree | 76,2 % |
| Disagree | 23,8 % |
For the vast majority of Germans, the local pharmacy is an easily accessible and easily accessible point of contact for health issues.
"I would take advantage of health promotion and prevention offers in my local pharmacy."
| Answer | Share |
| Agree | 72,7 % |
| Disagree | 27,3 % |
For the vast majority of Germans, the local pharmacy is an easily accessible and easily accessible point of contact for health issues.
The majority of respondents criticize the fact that the German health care system prioritizes incorrectly: More emphasis is placed on the treatment of diseases that have already developed ("repair medicine") than on the actual health maintenance and prevention. In addition, people in Germany significantly overestimate the budget allocated to prevention: Only 11.2 percent of those surveyed correctly estimate that the statutory health insurance companies invest an average of less than 1 euro per insured person per month in primary prevention.
However, there are also other areas to be addressed: Only half of adults (49.3 percent) state that there are sufficient footpaths, cycle paths, green spaces/parks, public sports facilities (e.g. football pitches, basketball courts, swimming pools) or other public spaces in their immediate vicinity that encourage active locomotion and/or physical-sporting activity. In addition, a lack of motivation and family and/or professional stress often stand in the way of regular exercise and physical activity.
This representative survey examines the physical activity behaviour of the population in Germany, barriers to an active lifestyle and attitudes towards prevention in the healthcare system. A core focus is on local pharmacies: the extent to which it is accepted as a low-threshold contact point for health promotion and pain treatment is analysed. In May 2026, almost 1,000 people (992) in Germany aged 18-65 were surveyed.
Haleon wants to use the survey to draw attention to the great importance of exercise in everyday life for effective prevention and to encourage more exercise. Another aim of the survey is to show how pharmacies can relieve the burden on the healthcare system (e.g. by avoiding visits to the doctor) and whether health insurance companies would like to see a greater willingness to invest in prevention through health insurance companies.
The exercise recommendations refer directly to the official, evidence-based guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as to the National Recommendations for Exercise and Physical Activity Promotion.
For media enquiries, please contact:
presse.dach@haleon.com
