In 2018, 35.6 percent of adults in Australia were considered to be overweight based on their Body Mass Index (BMI). In that year, there were more Australian adults who were overweight than those who were of a normal weight range.

In 2022, around 6.7 million adults in Australia were considered to be overweight based on their Body Mass Index (BMI). In that year, there were more Australian adults who were overweight than those who were of a normal weight range.

In 2022, the proportion of people in Australia who were obese by age group peaked at **** percent for people 55 to 64 years old. Children had a much lower likelihood of being obese, but there is a clear increase in obesity rates with age. 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 * to * servings of vegetables a day. Furthermore, Australian’s appear to consume significantly less dairy than is recommended, with less than * estimated average serves per capita, compared to the recommended *** serves for adult men and over *** 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 *********** Australians are diabetic and type 2 diabetes accounts for around *** in **** men over the age of **. Affecting around **** percent of the population, heart disease is only slightly less 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.

Average BMI among adult Australian women in 1926, 1995 and in 2002 [34] compared to the values of the biological state index for Australia [21].

In 2022, around 2.65 million Australian children were considered to be of normal weight, which was the majority of children in the country. In contrast, the numbers of underweight and obese children were around 801 thousand and 342 thousand respectively.

Note:Scenario 2: BMI-factored baseline with prevalence of obesity at age 50 years for males 46% and females 39%, and normal weight 13%.Scenario 3: Obesity prevalence for males 36% and females 33%, and normal weight for males 22% and females 32% from 2015.Scenario 4: Starting 2015, obesity decreased to 20% and normal weight increased to 40% by 2025 and maintained at this level thereafter.Estimated numbers of people aged 65+ years living with dementia under various scenarios and difference to ageing-only scenario.

In the 2023 financial year, it was estimated that Australians had on average 3,094.5 milligrams of sodium available to consume per day, which was the highest quantity compared to other mineral types. Australian and New Zealand dietary guidelines suggest that adults should limit their intake of sodium to 2,000 milligrams per day. Do Australians eat well? Just over half of Australians believe that they eat a healthy diet. However, when it comes to reaching their recommended intake of fruit and vegetables the statistics paint a very different picture. Many Australian adults do not reach their daily recommended intake of fruit, and even fewer consume enough vegetables. While there is more to a healthy diet than just vegetable intake, a poor or imbalanced diet can lead to long term health issues and illnesses. Around five percent of Australians live with diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease. Childhood obesity Like many other economically developed countries, obesity rates are an ongoing health issue in Australia. Of particular interest to public health policy is reducing the rates of obesity and overweight children, although the proportion of adults who are obese is much higher. This is perhaps because overweight or obese children are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults. Furthermore, healthy eating programs can be better targeted towards children in schools to foster healthy eating habits that will continue into adulthood.

Inputs for the base case and scenario analyses.

Effectiveness, costs and cost-effectiveness results.

In the financial year 2023, Australians aged between 25 and 34 years dominated the fitness and gym industry in Australia, with over *** million Australians from the age group participating in fitness or gym activities during the year. That year, gym and fitness participation was the least popular among survey respondents aged 15 to 17 years. Gyms and fitness centers in Australia Australia has seen a steady increase in the number of fitness centers and gyms over recent years. Gym and fitness center use is one of the leading types of sports participation activities in Australia, along with recreational walking, athletics, jogging, and running. Physical health in Australia   While the availability and use of fitness centers continue to rise, obesity remains a significant public health risk in Australia. It is a major risk factor for developing coronary heart disease, a leading cause of death in Australia. Many factors may contribute to one’s risk of obesity; however, adequate physical exercise and a healthy diet are important factors for maintaining a healthy body weight. Currently, most Australians do not meet recommended physical activity guidelines, and only a small portion of Australian adults meet vegetable intake dietary guidelines.

Details of the LiveLighter® campaigns used to assess effectiveness for the purposes of the economic evaluation.

Change in consumption of serves per week of discretionary food as a result of the LiveLighter® campaigns.

Baseline mean, standard deviation (SD) and p value for age and weight measures; proportion, n and p value for all-cause, CVD-related and cancer-related mortality across ABSI quartiles for overall, males and females (n = 4052).

Multiple linear regression model predicting reduction in serves of unhealthy snacks per week, by allocation arm.