Overweight and obesity is a worldwide epidemic and Australia is no exception, with one of the highest rates of overweight and obesity in the developed world.
Since 1998 there has been about a 60 per cent increase in obesity in men and 25 per cent in women nationally(1). A telephone survey in 2006 (involving people reporting data themselves rather than it being professionally measured) reported that 62 per cent of men and 42 per cent of women in Australia are overweight or obese. However, self-reported data tends to be lower than measured data .
Overweight and obesity now contributes 8.6 per cent of the burden of disability and premature death in Australia - more than cigarette smoking. This is a serious problem because overweight and obesity increases the risk of many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression and some cancers.
Because of the obesity epidemic, the burden of disease from type 2 diabetes alone is projected to triple between 2003 and 2023, overtaking heart disease and cancer to become the largest single cause of disability and premature death in Australia.
Overweight and obesity is a worldwide epidemic and Australia is no exception, with one of the highest rates of overweight and obesity in the developed world.
Since 1998 there has been about a 60 per cent increase in obesity in men and 25 per cent in women nationally(1). A telephone survey in 2006 (involving people reporting data themselves rather than it being professionally measured) reported that 62 per cent of men and 42 per cent of women in Australia are overweight or obese. However, self-reported data tends to be lower than measured data .
Overweight and obesity now contributes 8.6 per cent of the burden of disability and premature death in Australia - more than cigarette smoking. This is a serious problem because overweight and obesity increases the risk of many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression and some cancers.
Because of the obesity epidemic, the burden of disease from type 2 diabetes alone is projected to triple between 2003 and 2023, overtaking heart disease and cancer to become the largest single cause of disability and premature death in Australia.