The most significant modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are cardiometabolic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, lipometabolic disorders and obesity, as well as behaviour that is detrimental to health, such as smoking, physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet.

These risk factors can be influenced by health-conscious behaviour and medicinal therapies, and provide great potential for preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Activities at Robert Koch Institute

Within the framework of health monitoring in children and adults, the Robert Koch Institute regularly collects data on significant cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors.

Based on this data, the prevalence and distribution of diseases and risk factors in the population and their development and influencing factors are investigated in epidemiological studies.

Further studies examine such aspects as the interaction of different risk factors, correlation with the living environment and mental health, and healthcare aspects. The search for preventative approaches is of great importance here.

Further information

RKI publications server edoc: Publications in the Journal of Health Monitoring

Research projects, publications and reports on the German website