Share of overweight and obese persons in Australia in FY 2018, by age group

In 2018, the proportion of people in Australia who were obese by age group peaked at 40.5 percent for people 65 to 74 years old. Obesity alone accounted for over 40 percent of people in this age group. Children had a much lower likelihood of being obese but there is a clear increase in obesity rates with age. From 75 years onwards obesity rates drop dramatically, which is likely an indication of the lower life expectancy and a higher risk of chronic illness associated with obesity.

Recommended serves of food groups

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend the number of serves from each of the five food groups; vegetables, fruit, grains, meat and protein, and dairy. Around half of Australian adults eat the recommended daily serves of fruit, however, the vast majority are not consuming the recommended 5 to 6 servings of vegetables a day. Furthermore, Australian’s appear to consume significantly less dairy than is recommended, with less than two estimated average serves per capita, compared to the recommended 2.5 serves for adult men and over 3.5 for adolescents and older women.

 Diet related illness

Chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease have been linked to poor diet and obesity. Over one million Australians are diabetic and type 2 diabetes accounts for around one in five men over the age of 75. Affecting around six percent of the population, high cholesterol is even more prevalent than diabetes. While a poor diet is one significant risk factor for these illnesses, smoking, being overweight, and lack of exercise can also contribute to increasing the risk of developing a chronic disease.