Thryve x Robert Koch Institute: Measuring Movement and Sleep Across Germany

Public health decisions rely on accurate data, but what if most of that data comes from self-reported behavior? For decades, national health surveys have depended on what people say they do, not what they actually do. That’s changing.

The “Exercise and Sleep in Germany” study from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is one of Germany’s most advanced efforts to quantify movement and sleep behavior at the population level using wearable devices. With Thryve’s platform powering secure, large-scale data integration, this study brings objective behavioral data into the national health conversation.

Study Partner

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is Germany’s authority in public health research and disease surveillance, operating under the Federal Ministry of Health. With a history spanning over 125 years, RKI is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting health data that informs national healthcare strategies, including vaccination campaigns, chronic disease monitoring, and pandemic preparedness.

As part of its broader "Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell (GEDA)" program, which is a recurring health survey assessing the population’s well-being, RKI initiated the "Bewegung und Schlaf in Deutschland" module to deepen its insights into daily behavior patterns. This sub-study aims to replace estimates and recollections with measurable data by using wearable sensors instead of traditional questionnaires.

Participants are monitored for indicators such as:

• Time spent lying down
• Sitting
• Standing
• Walking
• Sleeping

The data is then allocated across different demographics (age, gender, education level, region) and temporal variables (weekdays vs weekends, seasons) to uncover how behavior varies across the population and over time. The results will be instrumental in adjusting national recommendations on exercise, sleep hygiene, and lifestyle interventions aimed at disease prevention and healthy aging.

The Problem: A data gap in real-world behavior

Population health policy depends on understanding how people live, but conventional survey methods can only go so far. Self-reported data is subject to bias, forgetfulness, and inconsistency. For activity and sleep in particular, respondents often overestimate or underestimate their behaviors.

Germany lacked a comprehensive, objective baseline for daily movement and rest patterns. RKI aimed to change that by introducing wearable devices into its data collection toolkit.

This required a solution that could:

• Seamlessly distribute devices to thousands of participants
• Collect 24/7 data without participant burden
• Ensure data privacy and compliance under GDPR
• Standardize incoming data for scientific analysis

The Solution: Fitness tracker-powered national health monitoring

RKI selected Thryve’s platform to support the full digital infrastructure for wearable data integration. The process included:

• Tracker Deployment: Participants were randomly selected from national registers and sent wrist-worn fitness trackers by mail. Each device collected data on physical activity, heart rate, sleep duration, and intensity.
• Companion Apps: Participants installed both the “Withings Health App” and “Pulsatio” app on their smartphones. These apps handled syncing and secure data transfers.
• Passive Data Collection: Participants wore their device 24/7 for two weeks, providing continuous, high-resolution health behavior data without the need for manual tracking.
• Incentives and Engagement: Participants received €30 and had the option to view their own health data in the apps, creating a more engaging study experience.

Thryve enabled:

• GDPR-compliant data exchange and anonymization
• Standardized data formatting for scientific analysis
• Scalable, plug-and-play wearable integration across cohorts

The Results: A new data backbone for national prevention policy

With over 1,000 participants and growing, the study has already generated one of the most comprehensive datasets on real-world movement and sleep patterns in Germany.

Key outcomes include:

• Validated national reference points for daily activity levels and rest cycles
• Improved understanding of demographic and behavioral trends
• Proof-of-concept for wearables in large-scale health surveys
• A blueprint for future digital cohort studies run by public health agencies

This study is more than a technical milestone, it’s a shift in how public health is measured. When national health planning is grounded in real-world data, everyone benefits. Thryve is proud to support RKI in demonstrating that wearables aren’t just for individual fitness, they’re tools for public good.

By replacing assumptions with evidence, RKI and Thryve are paving the way for smarter, more targeted health interventions across Germany.

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