Overweight and obesity

ACT Chief Health Officer’s Report: Healthy Weight

Overweight and obesity

Overweight and obesity in adults

HW 2_Adult Canberrans_Overweight
Source: ACT Government, ACT General Health Survey, ACT Government website, 2021.

In 2021, 62.2.% of adult Canberrans reported being either overweight (35.5%) or obese (26.7%) in the ACT General Health Survey (Figure 1).[1]

ACT males (40.5%) were significantly more likely to report being overweight than females (30.6%) in 2021.

Figure 1 demonstrates that while the proportion of ACT adults who reported being overweight, but not obese, over the last decade (2011-2021) has remained persistently high (between 30 and 40%), no clear trend is apparent. However, the proportion of adults categorised as obese has significantly increased over the same period, from 20.2% in 2011 to 26.7% in 2021.

Figure 1: Proportion of overweight and obese adults (18 years and over) in the ACT, 2011 to 2021


Source: ACT Government, ACT General Health Survey, ACT Government website, 2021.

The ACT had the lowest proportion of adults who were either overweight or obese compared to other Australian states and territories in the 2017-18 National Health Survey, where 67.0% of Australian adults were overweight or obese, compared with 64.0% of adults in the ACT.[2]

Nationally, a greater proportion of males were overweight or obese than women (74.5% and 59.7% respectively). This difference is also seen in the ACT.

Adults at increased risk of chronic disease (waist circumference)

HW 3_Waist Circumference
Source: ACT Government (2021), ACT General Health Survey: BMI categories, adults, ACT Government website.

In 2018, 54.1% of men and 65.3% of women in the ACT had a measured waist circumference in the ABS NHS that puts them at an increased risk of chronic disease.[3]

This is similar to the 3 in 5 Australian men (59.6%) and 2 in 3 Australian women (66.0%) who had a measured waist circumference that put them at an increased risk of disease.[4]

The proportion of Australia’s population reported to be at increased risk of disease due to their waist circumference has remained stable since 2011-12.[4]

Overweight and obesity is a leading cause of chronic disease

In 2018, overweight and obesity was the second leading cause of the total disease burden in Australia.[5]

Burden of disease studies look at the combined impact of dying early and living with disease or injury. Burden of disease is explored further in a separate report.

Overweight and obesity contributed to 8.4% of the total disease burden in Australia. Tobacco use was the leading contributor to total burden of disease at 8.6%.[5]

While tobacco was the leading cause of premature deaths in Australia, overweight and obesity was the leading cause of burden due to living with disease or injury.[5]

HW 4_Rate of burden of disease
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘Australian Burden of Disease Study: Impact and causes of illness and death in Australia 2018’, Australian Burden of Disease Series no. 23, catalogue number BOD 29, AIHW, Australian Government, 2018.

The total burden of disease due to overweight and obesity in Australia increased by 3% between 2015 and 2018 (from 14.1 to 14.5 disability-adjusted life years per 1,000 population, respectively).

Maternal overweight and obesity

Maternal overweight and obesity can increase the risk of a range of complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes for both mother and child.[6]

HW 5_ACT Mothers
Source: ACT Government, Maternal and Perinatal Data Collection, ACT Government website, 2022, accessed 10 February 2023.

In 2020, 50.1% of ACT mothers were classified as being overweight (26.5%) or obese (23.7%) in their first trimester of pregnancy (Figure 2).

The proportion of ACT mothers who are overweight or obese in the first trimester of pregnancy increased significantly from 45.3% in 2012 to 50.1% in 2020 (Figure 2).

Figure 2. ACT Mothers (first trimester of pregnancy) classified as overweight or obese, 2012 to 2020


Source: ACT Government, Maternal and Perinatal Data Collection, ACT Government website, 2022, accessed 10 February 2023.

HW 6_Maternal overweight
Source: Yang, Z., Phun, H. Sexton, R et al. (2019). Contribution of maternal overweight and obesity to the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, Aus N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 59(3): 367-374

Analysis of maternal and perinatal data in the ACT estimates that maternal overweight and obesity contribute to a large proportion of adverse pregnancy outcomes:

  • 36.2% for pre-eclampsia
  • 29.3% for gestational diabetes mellitus
  • 25.2% for large for gestational age babies
  • 21.6% for longer antenatal stay in hospital (≥2 days)
  • 16.3% for extreme preterm birth
  • 15.5% for caesarean delivery
  • 6.5% admission of the newborn to a special care nursery or neonatal intensive care unit.[7]

ACT youth and childhood overweight and obesity

HW 7_Nearly 1 in 3
Source: ACT Government, ACT General Health Survey, ACT Government website, 2021.

In 2021, nearly 1 in 3 (29.4%) of children aged 5-17 years were reported as being either overweight (19.2%) or obese (10.2%) in the ACT General Health Survey.[1]

There was no significant difference in reported prevalence between male and female children.

The proportion of ACT children and adolescents (5-17 year age-group) who were overweight has varied between 12% and 20% from 2011 to 2021, with no clear trend over time.  It is possible that an increase in the proportion who were obese from 6.1% in 2013-14 to 10.2% in 2021 is the start of a concerning trend which will need to be monitored closely.

Figure 3. Proportion of overweight and obese children (5 to 17 years) in the ACT, 2011 to 2021


Source: ACT Government, ACT General Health Survey, ACT Government website.

The 2017-18 National Health Survey reported children (aged 2 to 17 years) in the ACT and Tasmania to have the highest proportions of overweight or obesity at 28.6% and 28.7% respectively. Victoria had the lowest proportion at 22.6%.[8]

This survey also found the proportion of children who were overweight or obese has remained stable from 2014-15 to 2017-18 across all Australian states and territories, with the exception of Victoria where this rate has declined since 2014-15 from 28.6% to 22.6%.[8]

Overweight and obesity in kindergarten

Nearly 1 in 5 (18.2%) kindergarten children and more than 1 in 3 (38.5.%) Year 6 students in the ACT are overweight or obese (Figure 4; Figure 5).[9]

Figure 4. ACT Kindergarten students classified as overweight or obese, 2014 to 2021


Source: ACT Government, ACT Kindergarten Health Check, ACT Government website, 2021.

There has been a statistically significant increase in the proportion of ACT kindergarten children classified as obese or overweight over time.

In 2014, 4.3% of kindergarten children classified in the obese category and 12.2% overweight compared with 5% obese and 13.1% overweight in 2021.

A higher proportion of kindergarten girls were overweight compared with boys (15.7% and 10.7% respectively) (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Body Mass Index categories for ACT Kindergarten students, by sex, 2021


Source: ACT Government, ACT Kindergarten Health Check, ACT Government website, 2021.

A preliminary analysis of the Kindergarten Health Check data from 2014-2017 suggests that only a small proportion of parents whose children were measured as overweight or obese identified having a concern about their child’s weight.[10]

This finding, where children’s overweight status is under-estimated by parents, is consistent with international experience.[11]

Further analysis of the full range of Kindergarten Health Check data, including 2021 data, will be important to validate and confirm these findings.

Overweight and obesity in Year 6 students

Among ACT Year 6 students, an encouraging downward trend in overweight and obesity was reported between 2006 and 2018.

Figure 6. Proportion of overweight and obesity of Year 6 students in the ACT, 2006 to 2018


Source: ACT Government, ACT Year 6 Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey, ACT Government website, 2018.

HW 8_Year 6
Source: ACT Government, ACT Year 6 Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey, ACT Government website, 2018.

In 2006, 40% of Year 6 students were classified as overweight and 11% obese, compared with 31% overweight and 8% obese in 2018 (Figure 6).

Year 6 data for the years 2021-22 is expected to be available in mid-2023 when it will be seen if this trend continues.

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References

[1] ACT Government, ACT General Health Survey, ACT Government website, 2021, accessed 10 February 2023.

[2] Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Health Survey: State and territory findings, 2018, accessed 17 March 2023

[3] Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Health Survey: First Results, ABS, Australian Government, 2018, accessed 10 February 2023.

[4] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Overweight and obesity, waist circumference, accessed 10 February 2023.

[5] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘Australian Burden of Disease Study: Impact and causes of illness and death in Australia 2018’, Australian Burden of Disease Series no. 23, catalogue number BOD 29, AIHW, Australian Government, 2018, accessed 10 February 2023.

[6] Langley-Evans SC, Pearce J and Ellis S., ’Overweight, obesity and excessive weight gain in pregnancy as risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes: A narrative review - PMC (nih.gov)’, J Hum Nutr Diet. 2022 Apr;35(2):250-264. doi: 10.1111/jhn.12999. 

[7] Yang Z, Phung H, Freebairn L, Sexton R, Raulli A and Kelly P, ‘Contribution of maternal overweight and obesity to the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes’, Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol, 2019 Jun;59(3):367-374. doi: 10.1111/ajo.12866.

[8] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Overweight and obesity, 2017-18: State and territory findings, ABS website, accessed 17 March 2023

[9] ACT Government, ACT Kindergarten Health Check, ACT Government website, 2021, accessed 10 February 2023.
ACT Government, ACT Year 6 Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (ACTPANS) Weight status, ACT Government website, 2021, accessed 10 February 2023.

[10] Obrien, K. Agostino, J. Ciszek, K. Douglas, K. ‘Parents’ perceptions of their child’s weight among children in their first year of primary school: a mixed-methods analysis of an Australian cross-sectional (complete enumeration) study’, International Journal of Obesity, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01068-5 (2022).

[11] Alshahrani A, Shuweihdi F, Swift J and Avery A, ‘Underestimation of overweight weight status in children and adolescents aged 0-19 years: A systematic review and meta-analysis’. Obes Sci Pract. 2021 May 31;7(6):760-796. doi: 10.1002/osp4.531.

Page last updated on: 15 Aug 2023