[3] http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4727.0.55.0012012-13?OpenDocumentSmoking
Table 1: Smoking status, by remoteness, 2013 and 2014-15
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Remote
|
|
|
Percentage
|
Current daily smoker (18+) (crude) 2014-15 (a) |
13.0
|
16.7
|
20.9
|
|
Current smoker (18+) (Age standardised) 2014-15 (b) (includes daily, weekly, social etc smoking) |
14.6
|
19.0
|
22.4
|
|
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR
|
Remote+ Very Remote
|
Current smoker (daily, weekly, or fortnightly) 14+ (crude) 2013 (c) |
14.2
|
17.6
|
22.6
|
24.6
|
Current smoker (daily, weekly, or fortnightly) 14+ (Age standardised) 2013 (d) |
14.2
|
18.6
|
23.6
|
24.4
|
Mean number of cigarettes smoked per week, smokers aged 14 years or older 2013 (e) |
85.9
|
113.1
|
109.4
|
126.2
|
Sources:
Compared with Major cities (13%), the prevalence of daily smoking by people 18 years and older in Inner regional (17%) and Outer regional/Remote areas (21%) is higher.
The NDSH survey reflects these trends albeit with a slightly different age group (14+) and a different definition of smoking (daily plus less frequently), but the NDSH survey adds detail for remote areas where smoking rates are higher again (around 25% versus around 23% in Outer regional).
In addition, the average number of cigarettes smoked by each smoker is higher in regional/rural areas (~110/week) than in Major cities (86/week), and higher again (126/week) in remote areas.
Smoking – exposure, uptake, establishment, quitting
Table 2: Smoking characteristics by Remoteness, 2013, 2014 and 2014-15
MC
|
IR
|
OR
|
remote
|
|
|
|
8.8
|
17.8
|
19.3
|
27.8
|
Proportion of pregnant women who gave birth and smoked at any time during the pregnancy (2013, crude, National Perinatal Data Collection, exposure tables, Table 5.1.2 ) |
8.5
|
17.0
|
18.9
|
27.5
|
Proportion of pregnant women who gave birth and smoked in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy (2013, crude, National Perinatal Data Collection) exposure tables, Table 5.2.2) |
3.6
|
3.1
|
4.1
|
*9.4
|
Proportion of dependent children (aged 0–14) who live in a household with a daily smoker who smokes inside the home (2013, crude, NDSHS exposure tables, Table 6.3) |
2.5
|
2.0
|
2.7
|
*2.9
|
Proportion of adults aged 18 or older who live in a household with a daily smoker who smokes inside the home (2013, crude, NDSHS, exposure tables, Table 7.3) |
|
|
|
|
|
16.2
|
15.4
|
14.7
|
15.5
|
Average age at which people aged 14–24 first smoked a full cigarette (2013, crude, NDSHS, uptake tables, Table 9.3) |
17.8
|
22.7
|
17.8
|
28.3
|
Proportion of 12–17 year old secondary school students smoking at least a few puffs of a cigarette (2014, crude, Australian Secondary Students Alcohol and Drug Survey 2014, uptake tables, Table 10.3 |
54.7
|
61.1
|
64.9
|
67.2
|
Proportion of persons (aged 18 or older) who have smoked a full cigarette (2013, crude, NDSHS, uptake tables, Table 10.8) |
2.5
|
3.4
|
2.5
|
3.7
|
Proportion of secondary school students (aged 12–17) who have smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime (2014, crude, Australian Secondary Students Alcohol and Drug Survey 2014, transition tables, Table 2.3) |
20.2
|
25.9
|
44.1
|
45.2
|
Proportion of young people (aged 18–24) who have smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime (2013, crude, NDSHS, transition tables, Table 2.6) |
|
|
|
|
|
21.3
|
16.8
|
19.0
|
15.5
|
Quitting: Proportion successfully gave up for more than a month (2013, crude, NDSHS, cessation tables, Table 4.3) |
29.2
|
34.2
|
31.7
|
32.9
|
Quitting, Proportion unsuccessful (2013, crude, NDSHS, cessation tables, Table 4.3) |
46.3
|
48.0
|
47.4
|
45.2
|
Quitting: Proportion any attempt (2013, crude, NDSHS, cessation tables, Table 4.3) |
|
|
|
|
|
35.2
|
36.3
|
36.1
|
36.0
|
Mean age at which ex-smokers aged 18 or older reported no longer smoking (2013, crude, NDSHS, cessation tables, Table 11.2) |
53.1
|
51.5
|
46.3
|
45.0
|
The proportion of ever smokers aged 18 or older who did not smoke in the last 12 months (2013, crude, NDSHS, cessation tables, Table 12.3) |
|
|
|
|
|
4.9
|
6.0
|
4.8
|
7.0
|
Proportion of secondary school students (aged 12–17) who were weekly smokers (2014, crude, Australian Secondary Students Alcohol and Drug Survey 2014, established tables, Table 1.3) |
6.9
|
9.3
|
6.8
|
10.4
|
Proportion of secondary school students (aged 12–17) who were monthly smokers (2014, crude, Australian Secondary Students Alcohol and Drug Survey 2014, established tables, Table 13.3) |
|
|
|
|
|
13.0
|
16.7
|
21.2
|
18.8
|
Proportion of adults aged 18 or older who are daily smokers (2014-15, crude, ABS NHS, established tables, Table 3.3) |
10.9
|
7.8
|
2.9
|
n.p.
|
Proportion of smokers aged 18 or older who are occasional smokers (smoke weekly or less than weekly) (2014-15, crude, ABS NHS, established tables, Table 14.3) |
40.1
|
44.7
|
42.3
|
52.7
|
Proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 18 or older who are daily smokers (2012-13, crude, ABS Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2012–13, established tables, Table 8i.3) |
Source: http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data/ (sighted 11/7/17)
Note: Those estimates above with asterix have large standard errors and should be treated carefully.
Women in rural and remote areas were much more likely to smoke during pregnancy, with 28% of women in remote areas smoking during pregnancy, compared with 18-19% in regional/rural areas, and 9% in Major cities.
It is unclear whether exposure to environmental tobacco smoke varies by remoteness.
Young people outside major cities appeared to have their first cigarette at an earlier age (~15 years as opposed to ~16 years in Major cities.
Secondary school students in Inner regional (~23%) and remote (~28%) areas were more likely to have had at least a few puffs of a cigarette than those in major cities (~18%).
While 20% of young people in Major cities had smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime, 26%, 44% and 45% of young people in Inner regional, Outer regional and remote areas had done so.
People outside Major cities were as likely or slightly more likely to have attempted to quit smoking, but were less likely to be successful (and more likely to be unsuccessful).
A higher proportion of secondary students outside Major cities were weekly or monthly smokers (6%, 5% and 7% in IR, OR and remote areas versus 5% in Major cities weekly, 9%, 7%, and 10% in IR, OR and remote areas versus 7% in Major cities monthly).
Table 3: Current daily smoker, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 15+ years, by Remoteness, 2012-13
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR
|
R
|
VR
|
|
Crude Percent
|
Current daily smoker |
36.2
|
40.9
|
39.8
|
47.4
|
51.1
|
Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4727.0.55.0012012-13?OpenDocument Table 2 (sighted 12/7/17)
Prevalence of smoking amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 15 years and older is around 35%-40% in Major cities and regional/rural areas, and close to 50% in remote areas. Note that while the pattern is similar in Table 2 and Table 3 above, the figures for 18+ and 15+ year olds are slightly different.
Smoking Trends
Table 4: Comparison of declines in smoking rate estimates across remoteness areas, people 18+, based on ABS NHS surveys, 2001 to 2011-12
Survey year |
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Rem
|
Australia
|
|
Crude percent daily smokers
|
2001 |
21.9
|
21.9
|
26.5
|
22.4
|
2004-05 |
19.9
|
23.0
|
26.2
|
21.3
|
2007-08 |
17.5
|
20.1
|
26.1
|
18.9
|
2011-12 |
14.7
|
18.3
|
22.2
|
16.1
|
2014-15 |
13.0
|
16.7
|
20.9
|
14.5
|
Source: ABS National Health Surveys
From Table 4 above, rates of smoking have clearly declined in Major cities areas, but have been slower to decline in Inner regional and Outer regional/Remote areas. Rates of smoking in rural areas, apparently static last decade, now appear to be declining. Rates in Major cities and Inner regional areas have declined to 0.59 and 0.76 times the 2001 rates in these areas. The 2014-15 rate in Outer regional areas is 0.79 times the 2001 rate.
Figure 1: Daily smokers 18 years and older, 2007-08, 2011-12 and 2014-15, NHS

Source: ABS NHS http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data/ established tables, Table 3.3 (sighted 11/7/17)
Figure 2: Smokers 14 years and older, 2007, 2010 and 2013, NDSHS

Source: AIHW NDSHS http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data/ tobacco smoking table S3.12 (sighted 11/7/17)
Note: Smokers include daily, weekly and less frequent smokers.
Figures 1 and 2 above both show clear declines in Major cities and Inner regional areas, but the trend in Outer regional and Remote areas is less clear, with ABS data showing a decline in daily smoking rates for people aged 18+ between 2007-8 and 2014-15, but NDSHS data showing little change in smoking rates for people 14+ between 2007 and 2013.
Alcohol
Table 5: Alcohol risk status, by remoteness, 2013 and 2014-15
Alcohol consumption |
|
|
|
|
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Rem
|
|
Exceeded 2009 NHMRC lifetime risk guidelines, people 18+, crude %, 2014-15 (a) |
16.3
|
18.4
|
23.4
|
|
Exceeded 2009 NHMRC lifetime risk guidelines, people 15+, age standardised %, 2014-15 (b) |
15.7
|
17.4
|
22.0
|
|
Exceeded 2009 NHMRC single occasion risk guidelines, people 18+, crude %, 2014-15 (a) |
42.7
|
48.5
|
46
|
|
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR
|
R/VR
|
Abstainer/ex-drinker, crude %, 14+, 2013 (c) |
23.1
|
18.9
|
20.5
|
17.5
|
Low lifetime risk, crude %, 14+, 2013 (c) |
60.2
|
62
|
56.9
|
47.6
|
High lifetime risk, crude %, 14+, 2013 (c) |
16.7
|
19.1
|
22.6
|
34.9
|
low single occasion risk, crude %, 14+, 2013 (c) |
40.4
|
41.8
|
38.1
|
30.8
|
Single occasion risk less than weekly, crude %, 14+, 2013 (c) |
23.5
|
24.4
|
23.6
|
22.8
|
Single occasion risk at least weekly, crude %, 14+, 2013 (c) |
13
|
14.9
|
17.8
|
28.9
|
Sources:
Table 6: Alcohol consumption against 2009 NHMRC guidelines, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 15+ years, by Remoteness 2012-13
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR
|
R
|
VR
|
|
Percent
|
Exceeded lifetime risk guidelines |
18.0
|
18.7
|
18.2
|
22.5
|
14.3
|
Exceeded single occasion risk guidelines |
56.7
|
57.4
|
50.7
|
59.0
|
41.4
|
Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4727.0.55.0012012-13?OpenDocument Table 2 (sighted 12/7/17)
The figures in Table 6 are not strictly comparable with those for the total population in Table 5, because Table 6 refers to people who are 15 years and older, while Table 5 refers to people who are 18 years and older.
The percentage of the 15+ ATSI population exceeding 2009 NHMRC Lifetime risk guidelines is around 15-20% with little apparent inter-regional variation, compared with, for the total population 18+, 16% in Major cities, increasing to 23% in Outer regional/remote areas.
The percentage of the 15+ ATSI population exceeding the 2009 single occasion risk guidelines is around 50-60%, and around 40% in Very remote areas, compared with, for the total population 18+, 40-50% in Major cities, rural and regional areas.
Alcohol trends
Table 7: Type of alcohol use and treatment for alcohol, by remoteness area (per 1,000 population)
|
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR
|
R/VR
|
single occasion risk (monthly) |
2004 |
287
|
304
|
321
|
370
|
|
2007 |
285
|
292
|
312
|
437
|
|
2010 |
274
|
312
|
329
|
413
|
|
2013 |
250
|
273
|
315
|
422
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
lifetime risk |
2004 |
200
|
215
|
234
|
262
|
|
2007 |
199
|
210
|
238
|
314
|
|
2010 |
189
|
225
|
251
|
310
|
|
2013 |
167
|
191
|
226
|
349
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
very high risk – yearly |
2004 |
167
|
185
|
206
|
243
|
|
2007 |
172
|
183
|
206
|
288
|
|
2010 |
161
|
183
|
218
|
266
|
|
2013 |
151
|
166
|
194
|
258
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
very high risk – monthly |
2004 |
77
|
84
|
104
|
130
|
|
2007 |
78
|
89
|
100
|
153
|
|
2010 |
79
|
94
|
113
|
154
|
|
2013 |
70
|
70
|
100
|
170
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
very high risk – weekly |
2004 |
21
|
27
|
41
|
38
|
|
2007 |
24
|
28
|
24
|
50
|
|
2010 |
37
|
43
|
54
|
78
|
|
2013 |
27
|
28
|
38
|
70
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Closed treatment episodes |
2004–05 |
61
|
72
|
60
|
58
|
|
2007–08 |
76
|
84
|
80
|
129
|
|
2010–11 |
69
|
96
|
87
|
135
|
|
2013–14 |
68
|
79
|
93
|
155
|
Source: NDSHS, http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data/ alcohol -supplementary data tables, Table S18
Notes:
Single occasion risk (monthly): Had more than 4 standard drinks at least once a month
Lifetime risk: On average, had more than 2 standard drinks per day
Very high risk (yearly): Had more than 10 standard drinks at least once a year
Very high risk (monthly): Had more than 10 standard drinks at least once a month
Very high risk (weekly): Had more than 10 standard drinks at least once a week
There is a clear increase in the prevalence of people who drink alcohol in such a way as to increase their single occasion risk (eg from car accident, assault, fall, etc) and their lifetime risk (eg from chronic disease – liver disease, dementia, cancer etc) as remoteness increases.
In 2013, single occasion risk ranged from 25% of people 14 years or older in major cities to 42% of people in remote areas, while lifetime risk increased from 17% in major cities to 35% in remote areas.
In 2013, The prevalence of people who drank more than 10 standard drinks in one sitting at least once per week, increased from just under 3% in Major cities to 7% in remote areas.
In 2013-14, there were just under 70 closed treatment episodes per 1,000 people living in Major cities, increasing to around 80 and 90 per 1,000 population in Inner and Outer regional areas, to 155 per 1,000 people living in remote Australia.
Illicit drug use 2013
Table 8: Illicit drug use, “recent users” 14+, 2013
|
MC |
IR |
OR |
remote |
|
Crude percent
|
Cannabis |
9.8
|
10.0
|
12.0
|
13.6
|
Ecstasy |
2.9
|
1.5
|
1.6
|
*1.8
|
Meth/amphetamine |
2.1
|
1.6
|
2.0
|
*4.4
|
Cocaine |
2.6
|
0.8
|
*1.1
|
*2.5
|
Any illicit drug |
14.9
|
14.1
|
16.7
|
18.7
|
Source: AIHW National Drug Strategy Household Survey, 2013. http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data/ Illicit drug use (supplementary) tables S5.6, S5.11, S5.17, S5.21, S5.26.
Note: * indicates large standard error (therefore some degree of uncertainty)
Illicit drug use appears to be higher in Outer regional and remote areas compared with Major cities and Inner regional areas, in large part due to higher rates of cannabis use in these areas, but with apparent lower use of ecstasy and cocaine in regional areas compared with Major cities.
Physical activity
Table 9: Physical inactivity, people 18+, 2014-15
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Remote
|
Percentage of people aged 18+ who undertook no or low exercise in the previous week (crude) (a) |
64.3
|
70.1
|
72.4
|
Percentage of people aged 18+ who undertook no or low exercise in the previous week (age standardised) (b) |
64.8
|
68.6
|
71
|
Sources:
(a) ABS NHS (http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4364.0.55.0012014-15?OpenDocument Table 6.3)
(b) PHIDU (ABS NHS data) (http://phidu.torrens.edu.au/social-health-atlases/data#social-health-atlas-of-australia-remoteness-areas) sighted 18/7/2017
Note that level of exercise is based on exercise undertaken for fitness, sport or recreation in the last week.
Physical inactivity appears to be more prevalent with remoteness, increasing from 65% of people in Major cities to 71% in Outer regional/remote areas.
Table 10: Average daily steps, 2011-12
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Rem
|
Average daily steps, 18+ years, 2011-12 (a) |
7,393
|
7,388
|
7,527
|
Average daily steps, 5-17years, 2011-12 (b) |
9,097
|
9,266
|
9,160
|
Sources:
In 2011-12, adults living in Outer regional/Remote areas took slightly more steps than those living in Major cities or Inner regional areas, while the number of steps taken by children and adolescents in regional/Remote areas was slightly greater compared with those in Major cities.
Table 11: Average time spent on physical activity and sedentary behaviour by persons aged 18+, 2011-12
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Remote
|
Australia
|
|
Hours
|
Physical activity(a) |
3.9
|
3.4
|
3.9
|
3.8
|
Sedentary behaviour (leisure only)(b) |
29.3
|
28.0
|
27.9
|
28.9
|
Sedentary behaviour (leisure and work)(b) |
40.2
|
35.2
|
36.0
|
38.8
|
Notes:
(a) Includes walking for transport/fitness, moderate and vigorous physical activity.
(b) Sedentary is defined as sitting or lying down for activities.
Source: ABS 2011-12 Australian Health Survey (Physical activity) http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4364.0.55.0042011-12?OpenDocument Table 5.1
Adults living in Inner regional and Outer regional/Remote areas were about as likely as (or very slightly less likely than) those in Major cities to be sedentary in their leisure time, but appeared to be slightly less likely to be sedentary overall (ie their work involved a greater level of physical activity).
Table 12: Whether children aged 2-17 years met physical and screen-based activity recommendations, 2011-12
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Rem
|
|
Crude percentage
|
Met physical activity recommendation on all 7 days(a)(b) |
27.5
|
34.3
|
34.2
|
Met screen-based activity recommendation on all 7 days(b)(c) |
28.0
|
29.7
|
31.0
|
Met physical activity and screen-based recommendations on all 7 days (a)(b)(c) |
9.7
|
10.9
|
14.2
|
Notes:
(a) The physical activity recommendation for children 2–4 years is 180 minutes or more per day, for children 5-17 years it is 60 minutes or more per day. See Physical activity recommendation in Glossary.
(b) In 7 days prior to interview.
(c) The screen-based recommendation for children 2–4 years is no more than 60 minutes per day, for children 5-17 years it is no more than 2 hours per day for entertainment purposes.
Source:
ABS 2011-12 Australian Health Survey (Physical activity) http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4364.0.55.0042011-12?OpenDocument Table 14.3
Children in rural and regional Australia appeared more likely (34% vs 28%) to meet physical activity recommendations and slightly more likely (30%vs 28%) to meet screen-based activity recommendations than their Major cities counterparts.
Fruit and vegetable consumption
Table 13: Fruit and vegetable consumption, people 18+ years, by remoteness, 2014-15
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Remote
|
|
Crude Percentage
|
Inadequate fruit consumption(a) |
50.0
|
50.6
|
51.2
|
Inadequate fruit consumption(b) |
50.4
|
48.3
|
48.0
|
Inadequate vegetable consumption(a) |
93.4
|
93.5
|
89.3
|
Inadequate vegetable consumption(b) |
n.p.
|
n.p.
|
n.p.
|
Sources:
(a) ABS NHS (http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4364.0.55.0012014-15?OpenDocument Table 6.3)
(b) PHIDU (ABS NHS data) (http://phidu.torrens.edu.au/social-health-atlases/data#social-health-atlas-of-australia-remoteness-areas) sighted 18/7/2017
Note that adequacy of consumption is based on comparison with 2013 NHMRC guidelines.
Half of adult Australians eat insufficient fruit, with little clear difference between major cities and regional/rural areas.
Around 90% of adult Australians ate insufficient vegetables, with little clear difference between major cities and regional/rural areas.
Table 14: Fruit and vegetable consumption, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 15+ years, 2012-13
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR
|
R
|
VR
|
|
Crude Percent
|
Inadequate daily fruit consumption (2013 NHMRC Guidelines) |
59.0
|
60.6
|
56.9
|
54.9
|
49.1
|
Inadequate daily fruit consumption (2003 NHMRC Guidelines) |
62.1
|
63.6
|
59.8
|
58.3
|
51.6
|
Inadequate daily vegetables consumption (2013 NHMRC Guidelines) |
95.9
|
93.5
|
93.6
|
94.5
|
97.9
|
Inadequate daily vegetables consumption (2003 NHMRC Guidelines) |
93.8
|
90.6
|
90.5
|
91.2
|
96.1
|
Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4727.0.55.0012012-13?OpenDocument Table 2 (sighted 12/7/17)
Roughly 60% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians 15+ in Major cities and regional/rural areas have inadequate fruit intake, closer to 50% in remote areas (compared with around 50% of all Australians 18+ in major cities and regional/rural areas).
Roughly 95% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians 15+ in Major cities and regional/rural areas have inadequate vegetable intake, perhaps higher (98%) in Very remote areas (compared with around 90%-94% of all Australians 18+ in major cities and regional/rural areas).
Overweight and Obesity
Table 15: Overweight and Obesity, people 18+ years, by remoteness, 2014-15
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Remote
|
|
Crude Percentage
|
Persons, overweight/obese (a) |
61.1
|
69.2
|
69.2
|
|
Age standardised percentage
|
Males overweight (b) |
43.8
|
41.1
|
34.3
|
Males obese (b) |
25.8
|
33.1
|
38.2
|
Females overweight (b) |
28.9
|
28.3
|
30.1
|
Females obese (b) |
25.0
|
32.4
|
33.7
|
People overweight (b) |
36.2
|
34.4
|
31.4
|
People obese (b) |
25.4
|
32.6
|
35.8
|
Sources:
(a) ABS NHS (http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4364.0.55.0012014-15?OpenDocument Table 6.3)
(b) ABS NHS http://phidu.torrens.edu.au/social-health-atlases/data#social-health-atlas-of-australia-remoteness-areas
Adults in rural/regional areas are more likely to be overweight or obese than people in Major cities (69% vs 61%).
However, there were inter-regional BMI and gender differences:
- Compared with those in Major cities, males in Inner regional and especially Outer-regional areas were less likely to be overweight (41% and 34%, vs 44%) but much more likely to be obese (33% and 38% vs 26%).
- Compared with those in Major cities, females in Inner regional and Outer-regional areas were about as likely to be overweight (~29%) but much more likely to be obese (~33% vs 25%).
Table 16: Overweight and Obesity, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 15+ years, 2012-13
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR
|
R
|
VR
|
|
Crude Percent
|
Overweight |
27.5
|
28.8
|
30.1
|
32.5
|
26.4
|
Obese |
37.9
|
41.3
|
36.2
|
33.1
|
32.3
|
Overweight/obese |
65.4
|
70.1
|
66.2
|
65.6
|
58.8
|
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in rural/regional and Remote areas (29%-33%) were a little more likely to be overweight than those in Major cities (28%), with those in Very Remote areas (26%) least likely to be overweight.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Inner regional areas (41%) were more likely to be obese than those in Major cities (38%), but those in Outer regional (36%) and remote areas (~33%) were less likely to be obese.
Overall, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Inner Regional areas were most likely to be overweight/obese (70%), those in Major cities, Outer Regional and Remote areas were less likely to be overweight/obese (~66%), while those in Very Remote areas were the least likely to be overweight/obese (59%).
These figures compare with 61% – the prevalence of overweight/obesity for (predominantly non-Indigenous) people living in Major cities.
High blood pressure
Table 17: High blood pressure, people 18+, by Remoteness, 2014-15
|
MC
|
IR
|
OR/Remote
|
|
Percentage
|
Crude % (a)
|
21.9
|
27.1
|
24
|
Age standardised % (b)
|
22.7
|
24.6
|
22.1
|
Sources:
(a) ABS NHS (http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4364.0.55.0012014-15?OpenDocument Table 6.3)
(b) ABS NHS http://phidu.torrens.edu.au/social-health-atlases/data#social-health-atlas-of-australia-remoteness-areas
Age for age, people in rural/regional Australia appeared to be as likely, or very slightly more likely to have high blood pressure than their counterparts in Major cities (~23% vs ~24%). However, because people in rural/regional areas are older (on average), the prevalence of people with high blood pressure is higher (~26% vs 22%) than
Updated 31/07/2017
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