The news report on increasing prevalence rates of obesity and diabetes as well as of a significant demographic change (keyword “Demographischer Wandel”). Alarming numbers of obese individuals and patients with diabetes are interrelated with higher proportions of older people and a decline of healthy lifestyles. Obesity and diabetes are connected with morbidity and mortality rates, loss of productivity and quality of life.
Health psychology asks questions like…
…are people aware of the risks of an unhealthy lifestyle and health impairments related to aging?
…if individuals know that they should perform (more) health behaviors, why do they struggle doing so?
…why do many people fail to translate their goals into actions?
Other questions from health psychology can be…
…why do some people develop symptoms (like obesity and diabetes) and others do not?
…how do individuals cope with chronic illnesses?
…how does the perception of symptoms influence people’s motivation to change risk behaviors?
For such a mentioning, please for instance: