Increasing number of overweight Aussie adults

More than half (54%) of Australian adults are either overweight or obese, according to new analysis from the 2004-05 National Health Survey released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

This has increased from 15 years ago when 38% of adults were regarded as being overweight or obese.

In 2004-05 the number of Australians aged 18 years and over who were regarded as overweight or obese was 7.4 million, an increase of 2.8 million people over the previous 15 years.

Men were more likely to be overweight or obese than women. In 2004-05, 62% of men were overweight or obese compared with 45% of women. This pattern was also the case in 1989-90, when 45% of men and 32% of women were regarded as overweight or obese. Increases in the proportion of adults who were overweight or obese occurred in all age groups.

The proportion of the population who are obese (ie in the highest overweight category) is increasing at a faster rate than the proportion of the population who are overweight generally.

The publication also shows that the proportion of the population who are overweight or obese varies with age, birthplace, income, where people live and other socioeconomic factors.