The Germans move too little.

This not only changes their bodies, but also the way they think and feel.

And your children are changing too.

Because it is the young people in particular who sit and lie too much in their rooms, in front of their computers, with their cell phones in their hands, in shopping malls, buses and burger restaurants.

The World Health Organization has just announced that 88 percent of girls in Germany should be fitter and 80 percent of boys.

Young people need to be more active - not necessarily doing crazy fitness exercises or nerdy jogging or playing soccer all the time, just 150 minutes a week of physical activity.

Riding a bike would be enough, or brisk walking.

Climbing stairs, vigorously vacuuming, anything that involves more than shuffling or shuffling.

Why don't they, when exercise has been proven to be inexpensive, super healthy and mood-enhancing too?

For the same reason that their parents often don't either, because young people are only as good or bad as older people let them be.

It's more convenient to remain seated than to walk around.

And the Germans have become comfortable.

Cycling through the villages - don't feel like it!

It has to do with their wealth.

They are doing so well that they can save themselves many trips.

Hardly any child has to walk to school for hours, hardly anyone has to cycle through the villages to see their families.

Apart from the fact that such visits are often not that tempting, because you could watch Netflix or go to wine tasting or order a ramen soup instead.

The easier it is to avoid movement, the harder it is to pull yourself together.

That is why in rich countries the proportion of those who do not exercise enough is more than a third.

In poorer countries it is not even half as high.

Germany scores even worse than the rich-country average in the World Health Organization report;

here, more than 40 percent of adults would have to move more often.

You risk a lot: heart disease, diabetes, depression, dementia.

But that doesn't feel like it at first.

That's the dangerous thing.

And children certainly don't sense the danger, they rely on the adults.

Why would they want to walk to the café when their parents drive there?

And who tells them that all happiness isn't found in screens when their parents go there every night to distract themselves?

But comfort is not limited to the immobility of bodies.

Anyone who gets used to choosing the effortless alternative to all occasionally strenuous paths will want to stick with it, even if the effort is not of a physical but of a mental or spiritual nature.

Why read long texts when there are summaries?

Why fight for a love when Tinder has the next one waiting?

Why show understanding for the political opponent when someone always whispers that only your own camp is still sane?

The Germans have to decide whether their life should become even more comfortable - then stay where they are - or rather better.

Then movement will help.