New ABS health data on typical Australians will shock you
From the Heart Foundation
Data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) National Health Survey 2017-18 found the typical Australian is a non-smoker and has never smoked, does 42 minutes of exercise every day, is overweight or obese and does not eat enough vegetables.
The 2017/18 National Health Survey also found more than two-thirds (67%) of Australian adults are overweight and obese, with the likelihood of this increasing with age. Men (74.5%) were more likely to be overweight or obese than women (60%).
Disturbingly, the findings suggest the largest increase in rates of overweight/obesity was for 18-24 years old, up from 39% in 2014-15 to just under 46% in 2017-18.
“Overall, the National Health Survey results shows there has been little improvement in the health of Australians over the past decade,” said Heart Foundation General Manager of Heart Health and Research, Bill Stavreski. “Poor diet and carrying extra weight are two key risks for heart disease, the leading killer of Australians.
“It is very concerning, that for the first time, Australian adults considered to be obese (5.82 million) are now close in numbers to those adults in a healthy weight range (5.92 million).
“In a decade, we have seen the age standardised rate for obesity increase from 24.4% in 2007/08 to 30.8% in 2017/18.
“Close to 750,000 Australians are considered obese (BMI >40), carrying an extra 40 kilograms or five spare tyres’ worth of weight more than the upper limit of a healthy weight range (BMI
“Yet the average Australian adult is also walking around with a spare tyre’s worth of weight; women carry on average an extra seven kilograms while the average male carries an extra 11.4 kilograms.
“We welcome the recent Senate report into obesity, addressing this critical health issue, leading the way towards further action.
“In other health measures, we have seen little or no change in the proportion of Australians with high blood pressure (>140/90hhMg), yet there are now 4.3 million Australians living with uncontrolled or unmanaged high blood pressure, putting them at risk of a heart attack or stroke.
“The good news is we have seen a drop in the age standardised rate of smoking across the decade from 19.1% in 2007/08, down to 14% in 2017/18. However, we can’t sit back and be complacent, and further investment is needed, in particular, tobacco control educational campaigns.”
It is not people's fault. It is what people are being served.
Has anyone tested the actual vitamin content of hydroponic vegetables? Has anyone tested the effects of preservatives and additives in food on weight gain or force feeding chickens and salmon on grain.
People eat what foods are available to them and they will eat the most palitable foods.
So even though the heading is about the ABS it seem to have got very quickly side tracked into making biased conclusions.
Everyday I see people advocating "don't rubbish" - but we didn't create the barcode, pack it three times and put a bow on top. Just like we didn't advocate "artificial" food to feed the billions. Its all a product of our society and it starts at the top - not the bottom.
If people want to survive the obesity crisis. Don't eat out. Don't eat or drink artificial food products. Don't eat natural foods if you don't know how they were produced. Being thin doesn't make a person healthy. When I was young a thin person was a sickly person. Think healthy, be healthy and shape is irrelevant.
PS The ABS hasn't asked me if I smoked, eat rubbish or exercised - where did they get these stats from?