What is the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Australian adults and children?

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australia is increasing. Recent studies estimate that more than half of all Australian women (52%) and two-thirds of men (67%) are overweight or obese. That is, almost 60% of the adult population in Australia is overweight or obese.

Over the last 20 years, obesity rates in children have risen greatly in many countries around the world - what can be referred to as an internal epidemic of childhood obesity. Rates of childhood obesity in Australia are at one of the highest amongst developed nations. 25% of Australian children are currently overweight or obese, a huge jump from 5% in the 1960s.

References:

•  Australian Bureau of Statistics.
• Cameron AJ, Welborn TA, Zimmet PZ, Dunstan DW, Owen N, Salmon J et al. Overweight and obesity in Australia: the 1999-2000 Australian diabetes, obesity and lifestyle study (AusDiab). Medical Journal of Australia, 2003; 178: 427-432.
• NSW Health.

For further information and prevalence data, please refer to the factsheets produced by the Obesity Society (available on this website) on the prevalence of child and adult obesity, as well as the Statistics section of this website.