Damon Mcknight
Australia has one of the highest rates of overweight and obese adults in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 67.4% of Australian adults are overweight, ranking 21st in the world and third among English-speaking countries. This prevalence has increased over time, with 66% of adults considered overweight or obese in 2022, compared to 4.6 million adults in 1989–90. The rise in obesity has been attributed to poor eating habits, the availability of fast food, sedentary lifestyles, and geographical factors. These factors have led to obesity being the second leading risk factor for preventable chronic conditions in Australia, impacting both adults and children.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ranking among English-speaking countries | 3rd |
| Ranking among OECD countries | 10th |
| Percentage of overweight adults | 66% |
| Percentage of overweight children | 23-26% |
| Percentage of severely obese adults | 13% |
| Percentage of severely obese adults with BMI over 40 | 4.6% |
| Percentage of overweight or obese Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults | 74% |
| Percentage of overweight or obese Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children | 38% |
| Percentage of overweight or obese adults in inner regional areas | 68% |
| Percentage of overweight or obese adults in outer regional and remote areas | 70% |
| Percentage of overweight or obese adults in major cities | 64% |
| Percentage of overweight or obese adults in the lowest socioeconomic areas | 68% |
| Percentage of overweight or obese adults in the highest socioeconomic areas | 60% |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's obesity ranking
Australia has a high prevalence of overweight adults, ranking as the third highest in the English-speaking world, according to 2007 statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO). The country's obesity rate has been described as an "epidemic" with "increasing frequency".
The Medical Journal of Australia observed that obesity in Australia more than doubled in the two decades leading up to 2003. This unprecedented rise has been likened to the health crisis seen in America. The increase in obesity has been attributed to poor eating habits, such as the availability of fast food, as well as sedentary lifestyles and a decrease in the labour workforce.
In 2007, the WHO reported that 67.4% of Australian adults were overweight, ranking 21st in the world. This placed Australia third out of major English-speaking countries, behind the United States (9th) and New Zealand (17th).
More recent data from 2022 to 2023 shows that two-thirds of Australian adults are living with overweight (34.0%) or obesity (31.7%). This marks a rise from 2007-2008, when 61.1% of Australian adults were living with overweight or obesity. The prevalence of obesity among adults has increased from 24.4% to 31.1% during this period, while the proportion of overweight adults has decreased slightly, from 36.7% to 33.7%.
In 2022, Australia ranked 10th out of 21 OECD countries for the proportion of people aged 15 and over living with overweight or obesity. The proportion of Australians in this category is greater than the OECD average of 59%.
There is also geographical variation in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australia. In 2022-2023, 64.0% of Australians in major cities were living with overweight or obesity, compared to 69.3% in inner regional areas and 70.3% in outer regional and remote areas.
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Obesity in Australian children
Australia has a high level of cultural and linguistic diversity, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Children from specific cultural and ethnic groups may be at greater risk of becoming overweight and obese and may also face the additional risk of socioeconomic disadvantage.
In 2022, one in four (26%) children and adolescents aged 2-17 were living with overweight or obesity. This is approximately 1.3 million children and adolescents. The proportion was similar for boys and girls across most age groups, except for the youngest age group, where more girls aged 2-4 (24%) were overweight or obese than boys (14%).
In 2021, 36% of Australian five to 24-year-olds—2.3 million children and adolescents—were classified as overweight or living with obesity. This placed Australia as having the fifth-highest prevalence of obesity out of high-income countries.
A Western Australian study (Bell et al., 2011) showed that overweight and obese primary school children suffer from greater medical complications due to their weight status. They were more likely to complain about and suffer from depression, anxiety, bullying, headaches, enuresis, and musculoskeletal pain.
Trend analyses have shown that obesity prevalence in Australia is increasing and will outrank the UK and the USA by 2022. Every third Australian child/adolescent between 5 and 19 years old is predicted to be classified as overweight or obese by 2025. Childhood obesity is associated with multiple immediate physical and psychological health co-morbidities, as well as co-morbidities in adulthood.
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Obesity in immigrants
Australia has the third-highest prevalence of overweight adults in the English-speaking world, according to 2007 statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO). Obesity in Australia is an "epidemic" with "increasing frequency". The proportion of Australians living with overweight or obesity is greater than the OECD average of 59%.
First-generation immigrants to Australia are more obese and have higher rates of obesity-related behaviours than white Australians or Australians of foreign ancestry whose families have been in the country for at least two generations. A study conducted by the International Diabetes Institute at Monash University showed that Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Middle Eastern immigrants who moved to Australia were diagnosed with diabetes at a higher level than the average. The increase was attributed to the adoption of a Western diet and a more sedentary lifestyle.
A 2016 study by BMC Public Health found that male and female immigrants who arrived in Australia as children had significantly higher odds of adult overweight/obesity and BMIs. Male immigrants arriving as adolescents were twice as likely to be overweight/obese and had significantly higher BMIs than immigrants who arrived as adults. The study also found that men from North Africa/the Middle East and Oceania had significantly higher BMIs than Australian-born men, while the majority of foreign-born women had significantly lower BMIs.
A 2015 study by the US Journal of Economics and Human Biology found that obesity had the largest impact on men over 75 and women aged 60-74. The study also showed that the number of overweight or obese adults increased from 4.6 million in 1989-90 to 7.4 million in 2004-05.
A study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that in 2022, 66% of adults aged 18 and over were living with overweight or obesity, approximately 13 million adults. The study also found that 13% were living with severe obesity, defined as having a BMI of 35 or more.
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Obesity and socioeconomic status
Australia has one of the highest prevalences of overweight adults in the English-speaking world, with obesity in the country doubling in the two decades preceding 2003. The rise in obesity has been attributed to poor eating habits, the availability of fast food, sedentary lifestyles, and a decrease in the labour workforce.
The country's obesity problem is particularly prevalent among its indigenous population, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples having some of the highest rates of obesity in Australia. A study examining the role of behavioural characteristics, demographics, and socioeconomic status found that the key factors impacting the probability of obesity for indigenous Australians related to wealth, physical activity, and diet.
In general, obesity rates are higher among Australians in disadvantaged areas, with more adults in the lowest socioeconomic areas living with overweight or obesity (68%) compared to those in the highest socioeconomic areas (60%). This trend is particularly evident among Australian children and adolescents, with those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds more likely to be living with overweight or obesity than those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. In 2022-23, one-third (33.0%) of boys and 34.6% of girls with the lowest socioeconomic position were living with overweight or obesity, compared to one-quarter (25.2%) of boys and fewer than one-fifth (16.7%) of girls with the highest socioeconomic position.
Among Australian adults, the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined was similar across socioeconomic groups, but the prevalence of obesity was lowest among those in the highest socioeconomic group. In 2022-23, 35.3% of adults with the lowest socioeconomic position were living with obesity, compared to 25.5% of those with the highest socioeconomic position.
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Obesity trends
Obesity is a major health concern in Australia, with the country facing an "epidemic" of obesity, according to the Medical Journal of Australia. The prevalence of overweight and obese individuals has been steadily rising over the years, and this trend is seen across all age groups.
In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 67.4% of Australian adults were overweight, ranking Australia 21st in the world and third among English-speaking countries. This was an increase from the 1995 National Health Survey, which reported 30% of adults as overweight and 11% as obese. The 2016 National Health Survey showed a further increase, with 65% of Australians reporting they were overweight and 29% obese.
The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2022 National Health Survey reveals that 66% of adults aged 18 and over were living with overweight or obesity. This is a slight decrease from the 2022-23 National Health Survey, which reported that 64.8% of adults were overweight or obese. The prevalence of obesity among adults increased from 24.4% in 2007-08 to 31.1% in 2022-23. Additionally, 13% of adults were living with severe obesity, defined as having a BMI of 35 or more.
Geographical disparities exist in the prevalence of obesity in Australia. Studies have found a positive association between remoteness and excess body weight, with regional and rural areas having higher obesity rates than major cities. Furthermore, there is a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among First Nations individuals and those in lower socioeconomic areas.
Childhood obesity is also a concern in Australia, with media attention bringing the issue to the forefront in 2007 and 2008. While some researchers claimed that the rate of childhood obesity had reached a plateau, others disagreed. A Western Australian study in 2011 found that overweight and obese primary school children suffered from various medical complications due to their weight, including depression, anxiety, bullying, and musculoskeletal pain. The 2022 National Health Survey revealed that one in four children and adolescents aged 2-17 (26%) were living with overweight or obesity, with similar proportions for boys and girls across most age groups.
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Frequently asked questions
No, but according to the World Health Organization, Australia had the third-highest prevalence of overweight adults in the English-speaking world in 2007.
In 2022, 66% of Australian adults were overweight or obese.
In 2022-23, more adults in regional and remote areas were living with overweight or obesity (69.3%) compared to those in major cities (64%).
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australia has increased over time. In the 2005 National Health Survey, 53.6% of Australians reported being overweight, which increased to 65% in 2016.
Various factors contribute to the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australia, including poor eating habits, availability of fast food, sedentary lifestyles, and socioeconomic factors.
