Published 26 Jun, 2024

Overweight and obesity are associated with many noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cancer, with a ranking of fourth as a risk factor for death.1-2 Projections are concerning in suggesting that overweight and obesity will affect over 4 billion people globally by 2035, comprising an increase in those affected from 38% of the world’s population in 2020 to over 50% by 2035.3

Cancer is the third leading cause of mortality and premature disability attributable to high body mass index (BMI) after cardiovascular disease (CVD) and T2DM.4 

Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents are a major public health problem in Australia.5 Overweight and obese children are more likely to be obese in adulthood and to develop non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and osteoarthritis at a younger age.6-7

Different studies have indicated a strong association between higher body mass index (BMI) in childhood and adolescence and increased risk in adulthood for several cancers such as colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, renal cell carcinoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, renal cell carcinoma, and acute myeloid leukemia.8-13 High childhood BMI was found to be independently associated with subsequent cancer mortality.14

Charts
  • Notes
    • Data sourced from ABS National Nutrition Survey, Australian Health Survey – Core Content and National Health Survey.
    • Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals.
    • Persons aged 5-17 years.
    Table caption
    Crude rates
  • Notes
    • Data sourced from ABS Australian Health Survey – Core Content and Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey - Core Content.
    • Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals.
    • Persons aged 2-14 years.
    Table caption
    Proportion of overweight or obese children and young people by age, sex and Indigenous status, 2011-13
  • Notes
    • Data sourced from ABS Australian Health Survey – Core Content, and National Health Survey.
    • Remoteness was classified according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Remoteness Areas, see 'About the data' for more details.
    • Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals.
    • Persons aged 2-17 years.
    Table caption
    Crude rates
  • Notes
    • Data sourced from ABS Australian Health Survey – Core Content and National Health Survey.
    • SES was classified according to the Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD), see 'About the data' for more details.
    • Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals.
    • Persons aged 2-17 years.
    Table caption
    Proportion of overweight or obese children and young people by socioeconomic disadvantage, 2011-12 to 2014-15

Overweight and obesity are measured using the Body Mass Index (BMI), a scale based on height and weight commonly used to indicate if a person is underweight, has normal weight, or is overweight or obese. The BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight (in kilograms) by their height (in metres) squared.

In 2022, 26.4% of children and young people aged 2 to 17 years were assessed to be overweight or obese – 18.3% were overweight and 8.1% were obese.15 In 2022, 27.7% of children and young people aged 5 to 17 years were assessed to be overweight or obese, of which 19.5% were overweight and 8.3% were obese.

Boys aged 2–17 years appeared to have a marginally higher proportion who were overweight or obese (26.8%) than girls (25.8%). In 2022, 8.6% of boys and 7.4% of girls were obese, while 18.2% of boys and 18.7% of girls were overweight but not obese.  

In 2022, the proportion of children and young people aged 2 to 17 years being overweight or obese generally increased with age, from 19.6% among those aged 2 to 4 years to 29.4% among those aged 16-17 years.15

This measure shows the proportions of children and young people who were overweight or obese in the specified period.

There is a separate BMI scale for children and young people where BMI calculations take into account the age and sex of the person. The BMI cut-off points used to classify children and adolescents aged under 18 years as overweight or obese are age and sex specific, as defined by Cole et al.18

 

Methodology

The 2022 National Health Survey (NHS) is regarded as comparable to the 2017-18 NHS and previous cycles. The 2020–21 NHS data should be considered a break in the time series from previous NHS collections and used for point-in-time analysis only. That survey was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic with a changed process for data collection.19

Remoteness

The Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 was used to allocate participants to a remoteness area based on their area of usual residence.20 Note that earlier data used the ASGS 2016 & ASGS 2011.

Socioeconomic status

The 2016 Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) Index for Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage was used to allocate participants to a SEIFA quintile based on their usual residence.21 For 2011-2012 and 2014-2015 data, the 2011 IRSD was used. Data for socioeconomic status and remoteness are available for persons in general for 2022 (note: not yet available by sex).

 

Data sources

ABS 2007-08, 2014-15, 2017-18 and 2022 National Health Survey                                                            ABS 2018-19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey

ABS 1995 National Nutrition Survey
ABS 2011-12 Australian Health Survey – Core Content
ABS 2012-13 Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey – Core Content
 

Data sources

The calculation of BMI is based on measured height and weight data collected from the Australian Bureau Statistics 1995 National Nutrition Survey, 2011-12 Australian Health Survey – Core Content, and 2007-08, 2014-15, 2017-18 and 2022 National Health Surveys.

The 2022 NHS methodology is considered to be comparable to that for 2017-18 NHS and previous cycles. The 2020–21 NHS data should be considered a break in time series from previous NHS collections and used for point-in-time national analysis only. This survey was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic with a substantially changed process for data collection.19

            

Non-response rates19

  • Physical measurements have a relatively high rate of non-response due to their voluntary and sensitive nature. To correct for the high rate of non-response, imputation of values for those that did not have measurements collected was used to achieve estimates of physical measurements for the whole population.
  • Non-response rates for physical measurements were higher in 2022 than in the 2017–18 NHS (which in turn were higher than the 2014–15 NHS). The non-response for BMI for children in 2022 was 56.8%, compared with 43.9% in 2017–18 and 37.7% in 2014–15.
  • While the higher non-response rates in 2022 could in part be due to a trend of declining participation in physical measures, it is considered that the COVID-19 pandemic could also have had an effect. The procedures for collecting physical measurements in the 2022 NHS were adapted to include increased hygiene and social distancing measures, and respondents were required to take their own measurements (rather than have ABS Interviewers taking measurements).

Self-reported height and weight19

  • In addition to the voluntary measured items, respondents in the 2022 NHS were also asked to self-report their height and weight measurements. This provides valuable information about height and weight that can be used in assisting in the imputation for those with missing values.

Imputation

  • In the 2022, 2017–18 and 2014–15 NHS, missing values were imputed using the 'hot decking' imputation method. 
  • Physical measurement data (BMI, waist circumference) that includes imputed values are of suitable quality for comparisons with 2017–18 and 2014–15 NHS. For comparisons with earlier years, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recommends using proportion comparisons only as imputation was not used with the physical measurement data prior to 2014–15 NHS.
  • The table below indicates presents the proportions of persons aged 18 years and over who did not have their height and/or weight measured across the survey years. For these respondents, imputation was used.

 Survey Year

Age group in scope (years)

Height/weight/waist circumference not measured (%)

1995

2-17

N/A

2007-08

5-17

32.5

2011-12

2-17

19.5

2012-13

2-14

23.3

2014-15

2-17

37.7

2017-18

2-17

43.9

2022

2-17

57.6

Data:

Australian Bureau of Statistics. Cat no. 4364.0.55.001. Overweight and obesity. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/overweight-and-obesity/latest-release

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2023. Overweight and obesity: an interactive insight. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-and-obesity-an-interactive-insight/data

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. Overweight and obesity among Australian children and adolescents. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-obesity-australian-children-adolescents/data

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. Australia’s Health 2020 - Overweight and obesity snapshot data tables. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/b19d47a8-6820-47c9-ae7d-a05196db85da/Data-tables-Australia-s-health-2020-Overweight-and-obesity-snapshot.xlsx.aspx

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. Waist Circumference and BMI. Accessed May 2024;

https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/waist-circumference-and-bmi/latest-release

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2018. Cat no. 4364.0.55.001. Overweight and obesity in 2017-2018. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/overweight-and-obesity/2017-18#data-downloads

Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4364.00.55.001 – National Health Survey: First Results 2017-18. Canberra: ABS; 2018. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/national-health-survey-first-results/latest-release

Data:
Australian Bureau of Statistics. Cat no. 4364.0.55.001. Overweight and obesity. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/overweight-and-obesity/latest-release
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2023. Overweight and obesity: an interactive insight. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-and-obesity-an-interactive-insight/data
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. Overweight and obesity among Australian children and adolescents. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-obesity-australian-children-adolescents/data
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. Australia’s Health 2020 - Overweight and obesity snapshot data tables. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/b19d47a8-6820-47c9-ae7d-a05196db85da/Data-tables-Australia-s-health-2020-Overweight-and-obesity-snapshot.xlsx.aspx
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. Waist Circumference and BMI. Accessed May 2024;
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/waist-circumference-and-bmi/latest-release
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2018. Cat no. 4364.0.55.001. Overweight and obesity in 2017-2018. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/overweight-and-obesity/2017-18#data-downloads
Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4364.00.55.001 – National Health Survey: First Results 2017-18. Canberra: ABS; 2018. Accessed May 2024;  https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/national-health-survey-first-results/latest-release 
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Web report. Cat. no: PHE 251. Overweight and Obesity: an interactive insight 2020. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-and-obesity-an-interactive-insight/data
Policy:
National Health and Medical Research Council 2013. Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, Adolescents and Children in Australia. NHMRC: Canberra; 2013; Accessed May 2024; https://nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/clinical-practice-guidelines-management-overweight-and-obesity
Commonwealth of Australia 2022. The National Obesity Strategy 2022-2032. Health Ministers Meeting. Accessed May 2024; https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-obesity-strategy-2022-2032?language=en
References
1.    Obesity causes cancer and is a major determinant of disability and death, warns new WHO report May 2022. Accessed May 2024; https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/03-05-2022-obesity-causes-cancer-and-is-major-determinant-of-disability-and-death--warns-new-who-report
2.    Lin X, Li H. Obesity: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and therapeutics. Front Endocrinol. 2021:12:706978. 
3.    World Obesity Federation, World Obesity Atlas 2023. Accessed May 2024; https://data.worldobesity.org/publications/?cat=19
4.    Dai H, Alsalhe TA, Chalghaf N, et al. The global burden of disease attributable to high body mass index in 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study. PLoS Med. (2020) 17:e1003198. 
5.    Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. Overweight and obesity among Australian children and adolescents. Cat. no. PHE 274. Canberra: AIHW. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-obesity-australian-children-adolescents/summary
6.    WHO 2020. Noncommunicable diseases: Childhood overweight and obesity. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/noncommunicable-diseases-childhood-overweight-and-obesity
7.    Sahoo K, Sahoo B, Choudhury AK, et al. Childhood obesity: causes and consequences. J Family Med Prim Care. 2015 Apr-Jun;4(2):187-92. doi: 10.4103/2249-4863.154628. PMID: 25949965; PMCID: PMC4408699.
8.    Levi Z, Kark JD, Barchana M, et al. Measured body mass index in adolescence and the incidence of colorectal cancer in a cohort of 1.1 million males. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011;20(12):2524–31. 
9.    Levi Z, Kark JD, Afek A, et al. Measured body mass index in adolescence and the incidence of pancreatic cancer in a cohort of 720,000 Jewish men. Cancer Causes Control. 2012;23(2):371–8. 
10.    Leiba A, Kark JD, Afek A, et al. Adolescent obesity and paternal country of origin predict renal cell carcinoma: a cohort study of 1.1 million 16 to 19-year-old males. J Urol. 2013;189(1):25–9. 
11.    Leiba M, Leiba A, Keinan-Boker L, et al. Adolescent weight and height are predictors of specific non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes among a cohort of 2,352,988 individuals aged 16 to 19 years. Cancer. 2016;122(7):1068–77. 
12.    Shamriz O, Leiba M, Levine H, et al. Higher body mass index in 16–19-year-old Jewish adolescents of North African, Middle Eastern and European origins is a predictor of acute myeloid leukemia: a cohort of 2.3 million Israelis. Cancer Causes & Control. 2017;28(4):331–9. 
13.    Poynter JN, Richardson M, Blair CK, et al. Obesity over the life course and risk of acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Cancer Epidemiol. 2016; 40:134–40
14.    Nuotio, J., Laitinen, T.T., Sinaiko, A.R. et al. Obesity during childhood is associated with higher cancer mortality rate during adulthood: the i3C Consortium. Int J Obes 46, 393–399 (2022). 
15.    Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. Waist circumference and BMI. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/waist-circumference-and-bmi/2022#children-and-body-mass-index-bmi-
16.    Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. Overweight and obesity among Australian children and adolescents. Cat No. PHE 274. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-obesity-australian-children-adolescents/data
17.    Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2021. Inequalities in overweight and obesity and the social determinants of health. Cat. no. PHE 278. Canberra: AIHW. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/inequalities-overweight-social-determinants-health/summary
18.    Cole TJ, Bellizzi MC, Flegal KM & Dietz WH 2000. Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey. BMJ 320:1240–3.
19.    Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. National Health Survey methodology. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/methodologies/national-health-survey-methodology/2022#summary-of-content-changes
20.    Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. Remoteness Areas. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/australian-statistical-geography-standard-asgs-edition-3/jul2021-jun2026/remoteness-structure/remoteness-areas
21.    Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. Socioeconomic Indexes for areas (SEIFA) 2016. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/2033.0.55.001

Policy:

National Health and Medical Research Council 2013. Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, Adolescents and Children in Australia. NHMRC: Canberra; 2013; Accessed May 2024; https://nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/clinical-practice-guidelines-management-overweight-and-obesity

Commonwealth of Australia 2022. The National Obesity Strategy 2022-2032. Health Ministers Meeting. Accessed May 2024; https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-obesity-strategy-2022-2032?language=en

References

  1. Obesity causes cancer and is a major determinant of disability and death, warns new WHO report May 2022. Accessed May 2024; https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/03-05-2022-obesity-causes-cancer-and-is-major-determinant-of-disability-and-death--warns-new-who-report
  2. Lin X, Li H. Obesity: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and therapeutics. Front Endocrinol. 2021:12:706978. 
  3. World Obesity Federation, World Obesity Atlas 2023. Accessed May 2024; https://data.worldobesity.org/publications/?cat=19
  4. Dai H, Alsalhe TA, Chalghaf N, et al. The global burden of disease attributable to high body mass index in 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study. PLoS Med. (2020) 17:e1003198. 
  5. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. Overweight and obesity among Australian children and adolescents. Cat. no. PHE 274. Canberra: AIHW. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-obesity-australian-children-adolescents/summary
  6. WHO 2020. Noncommunicable diseases: Childhood overweight and obesity. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/noncommunicable-diseases-childhood-overweight-and-obesity
  7. Sahoo K, Sahoo B, Choudhury AK, et al. Childhood obesity: causes and consequences. J Family Med Prim Care. 2015 Apr-Jun;4(2):187-92. doi: 10.4103/2249-4863.154628. PMID: 25949965; PMCID: PMC4408699.
  8. Levi Z, Kark JD, Barchana M, et al. Measured body mass index in adolescence and the incidence of colorectal cancer in a cohort of 1.1 million males. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011;20(12):2524–31. 
  9. Levi Z, Kark JD, Afek A, et al. Measured body mass index in adolescence and the incidence of pancreatic cancer in a cohort of 720,000 Jewish men. Cancer Causes Control. 2012;23(2):371–8. 
  10. Leiba A, Kark JD, Afek A, et al. Adolescent obesity and paternal country of origin predict renal cell carcinoma: a cohort study of 1.1 million 16 to 19-year-old males. J Urol. 2013;189(1):25–9. 
  11. Leiba M, Leiba A, Keinan-Boker L, et al. Adolescent weight and height are predictors of specific non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes among a cohort of 2,352,988 individuals aged 16 to 19 years. Cancer. 2016;122(7):1068–77. 
  12. Shamriz O, Leiba M, Levine H, et al. Higher body mass index in 16–19-year-old Jewish adolescents of North African, Middle Eastern and European origins is a predictor of acute myeloid leukemia: a cohort of 2.3 million Israelis. Cancer Causes & Control. 2017;28(4):331–9. 
  13. Poynter JN, Richardson M, Blair CK, et al. Obesity over the life course and risk of acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Cancer Epidemiol. 2016; 40:134–40
  14. Nuotio, J., Laitinen, T.T., Sinaiko, A.R. et al. Obesity during childhood is associated with higher cancer mortality rate during adulthood: the i3C Consortium. Int J Obes 46, 393–399 (2022). 
  15. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. Waist circumference and BMI. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/waist-circumference-and-bmi/2022#children-and-body-mass-index-bmi-
  16. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. Overweight and obesity among Australian children and adolescents. Cat No. PHE 274. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-obesity-australian-children-adolescents/data
  17. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2021. Inequalities in overweight and obesity and the social determinants of health. Cat. no. PHE 278. Canberra: AIHW. Accessed May 2024; https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/inequalities-overweight-social-determinants-health/summary
  18. Cole TJ, Bellizzi MC, Flegal KM & Dietz WH 2000. Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey. BMJ 320:1240–3.
  19. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. National Health Survey methodology. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/methodologies/national-health-survey-methodology/2022#summary-of-content-changes
  20. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. Remoteness Areas. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/australian-statistical-geography-standard-asgs-edition-3/jul2021-jun2026/remoteness-structure/remoteness-areas
  21. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023. Socioeconomic Indexes for areas (SEIFA) 2016. Accessed May 2024; https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/2033.0.55.001

Summary

More than one quarter of children and adolescents aged 2-17 years are overweight or obese

In 2022, about 1 in 4 (26.4%) Australian children and young people (estimated to be 1.3 million children and adolescents) aged 2-17 years were overweight or obese. About a quarter of Australians aged 5-17 years (27.7%) were overweight or obese.

Obesity rates are higher among Indigenous children and young people

In 2011-13, 10% of Australian Indigenous children and young people (aged 2-14 years) were obese compared to 6% for non-Indigenous children and young people.

Overweight and obesity rates have stabilized but are still high

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australians aged 5-17 years has been relatively stable since 2007-08 (age standardized rate of 24.7% to 27.7%). Age-standardized obesity rates have increased by 1.65 time since 1995 (from 4.9% to 8.3%). 

Related indicator
Overweight and obesity – adults

In this Measure

Topics

Risk factors

Other measures in this indicator

Overweight and obesity – adults