DLRG President Ute Vogt: “Just as boys and girls learn to read, write and do arithmetic, they also have to learn to swim”.
Only 57 percent of children swim safely, according to a Forsa survey for the German Life Saving Society (DLRG) published on Tuesday. In 2017, the proportion of non-swimmers of primary school age was ten percent.
As the survey further shows, another 23 percent of the children are unsafe swimmers according to their parents. Only 57 percent swim safely, which is about as many as five years ago.
However, based on the information provided by the parents on the swimming badges they have obtained, the DLRG assumes that a total of six out of ten children at the end of primary school (58 percent) are not confident swimmers. All too often, mothers and fathers mistook the preparatory seahorse for swimming.
Unusual swimming training during the corona pandemic
The DLRG also blames the unusual swimming training during the corona pandemic for the high proportion of non-swimmers. As a result, 37 percent of boys and girls of primary school age do not yet have a swimming certificate. Even the proportion of children with seahorses fell from 69 to 54 percent in 2022 compared to 2017.
According to the survey, there are many more non-swimmers in poorer households. Half (49 percent) of children from households with a monthly net income of less than 2500 euros cannot swim. On the other hand, with a net household income of more than 4000 euros, this only applies to twelve percent.
People with a secondary school leaving certificate (14 percent) are also three times as likely to be non-swimmers, and people with a migration background (nine percent) are twice as likely to be non-swimmers as the average population aged 14 and over. A total of half of the 2000 respondents aged 14 and over stated that they could swim well or very well.
“Just as boys and girls learn to read, write and do arithmetic, they also have to learn to swim,” warned DLRG President Ute Vogt. “We have to get to the point where every child can swim safely by the end of elementary school.” This also applies in the energy crisis, in which a whole range of municipalities are considering closing their bathrooms. (AFP)
How many calories do we burn swimming?
Swimming is one of the healthiest sports because it is easy on the joints and not only trains strength and endurance, but also coordination and mobility. In addition, of course, calories are burned – sometimes even more than you think. Blick shows how the welcome cooling off on hot summer days can also be used as a sports workout.
Swimming is perfect for losing weight.
Keystone/AP/JOHN MINCHILLO
Swimming is one of the healthiest sports because it is easy on the joints and not only trains strength and endurance, but also coordination and mobility. In addition, of course, calories are burned – sometimes even more than you think. Blick shows how the welcome cooling off on hot summer days can also be used as a sports workout.