Only 16% exhibit a high level of health competency, actively seeking information and demonstrating initiative in areas like healthy eating, sleep hygiene and physical activity A significant correlation was observed between socioeconomic background and health literacy; children from families with lower socioeconomic status were even less likely (12%) to demonstrate high health competency
The study also highlights the prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms among all surveyed students Sixty-five percent report experiencing fatigue at least weekly Conversely, students with higher health competency reported fatigue at a significantly lower rate (55%) Approximately one-third of students struggle with sleep disturbances and around one-sixth experience headaches on a weekly basis, with rates lower among those possessing greater health understanding
Alarmingly, the study indicates a rise in depressive symptoms, particularly among girls Over a quarter of female students (27%) exhibited signs of depression, such as sadness and frequent crying – the highest recorded value in recent years and slightly elevated compared to pandemic levels Girls from lower socioeconomic backgrounds reported sadness and depression at an even higher rate (43%) In comparison, only 7% of boys reported similar symptoms
Feelings of loneliness are also disproportionately affecting girls, with 41% reporting frequent feelings of isolation and a lack of friends, compared to 25% of boys The study consistently demonstrates the protective effect of health literacy, with students reporting higher health competency also reporting lower levels of loneliness (28% versus 34% amongst less competent peers)
The DAK Prevention Radar, a comprehensive nationwide school study, surveyed 26,586 students across 116 schools within 1,712 classes between November 2024 and February 2025 The online survey assessed students’ health knowledge, behaviors, psychological stress levels and relevant social factors
