4364.0.55.001 - National Health Survey: First Results, 2014-15

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/03/2016

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Key findings About the National Health Survey Self-assessed health status Psychological distress + Long-term health conditions Smoking Overweight and obesity Waist circumference Alcohol consumption Daily intake of fruit and vegetables Exercise Children's risk factors + Key Findings — States and Territories New South Wales Victoria Queensland South Australia Western Australia Tasmania Northern Territory Australian Capital Territory History of Changes About this Release Fewer Australian adults smoking (Media Release) New report reveals State, Territory health status (Media Release) Linkage of NHS 2014-15 to the Multi-Agency Data Integration Project	NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY, 2014-15 AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY General health Considered themselves to be in excellent or very good health - 173,000 people (56.8% of persons aged 15 years and over in ACT) Experienced high or very high levels of Psychological distress – 31,500 people (10.8% of persons aged 18 years and over in ACT) Long-term health conditions Arthritis – 51,600 people (13.7% of persons in ACT) Asthma – 43,500 people (11.5%) Cancer – 6,800 people (1.8%) Diabetes – 16,200 people (4.3%) Hayfever – 97,600 people (25.9%) Heart disease – 14,000 people (3.7%) High cholesterol – 32,600 people (8.6%) Hypertension – 45,700 people (12.1%) Kidney disease – 4,800 people (1.3%) Long sightedness – 102,300 people (27.1%) Mental and behavioural conditions – 69,200 people (18.4%) Osteoporosis – 14,800 people (3.9%) Short sightedness – 118,800 people (31.5%) Compared with Australia, the Australian Capital Territory had higher rates of Hayfever, High cholesterol and Short sightedness. Compared with Australia, the Australian Capital Territory had a lower rate of Heart disease. Other conditions were similar to the national rate. Health risk factors *Smoking* Current daily smoker – 36,200 people (12.4% of persons aged 18 years and over in ACT) *Overweight and Obesity* Adults Overweight – 114,000 people (39.1% of persons aged 18 years and over in ACT) Obese – 69,800 people (23.9%) Overweight or obese – 185,200 people (63.5%) Children Overweight – 14,200 children (19.3% of children aged 2-17 years in ACT) Obese – 4,200 children (5.7%) Overweight or obese – 17,300 children (23.4%) *Alcohol consumption¹ Exceeded lifetime risk guidelines – 45,900 people (15.7% of persons aged 18 years and over in ACT) Exceeded single occasion risk guidelines – 129,300 people (44.3%) Rates of persons aged 18 years and over who exceeded lifetime risk guidelines of alcohol consumption in the Australian Capital Territory decreased in 2014-15 compared with 2011-12 (21.0%). ² Blood pressure* High blood pressure – 67,800 people (23.2% of persons aged 18 years and over in ACT) *Daily intake of fruit and vegetables³ Adults* Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of fruit – 144,900 people (49.7% of persons aged 18 years and over in ACT) Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables – 14,500 people (5.0%) Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of both fruit and vegetables – 11,000 people (3.8%) Children Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of fruit – 52,400 children (66.5% of children aged 2-18 years in ACT) Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables – 3,300* children (4.2%) Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of both fruit and vegetables – 3,300* children (4.2%) *Exercise⁴ Participated in sufficient physical activity – 137,300 people (55.5% of persons aged 18-64 years in ACT) Compared with Australia, the Australian Capital Territory had a higher rate of persons aged 18-64 years who were sufficiently active and lower rates of persons aged 18 years and over who were obese were current daily smokers met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of both fruit and vegetables. Other health risk factors were similar to the national rate. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION* For further information about these and related statistics see publication National Health Survey: First Results, 2014-15 (cat. no. 4364.0.55.001), or contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070. ENDNOTES 1 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), 2009. Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol, Canberra: NHMRC. <http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/ds10-alcohol.pdf>. For more information see Glossary. 2 All comparisons made between 2011-12 and 2014-15 have been tested for statistical significance with a 95% level of confidence that there is a real difference in the two populations being tested. To determine whether there is a statistical difference between any other two estimates, significance testing should be undertaken. 3 National Health and Medical Research Council (2013) Australian Dietary Guidelines. Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council. <https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/the_guidelines/n55_australian_dietary_guidelines.pdf > For more information see Glossary. 4 Sufficient physical activity (duration and session) is defined as 150 minutes of physical activity per week over five or more sessions including walking for fitness/transport, moderate and/or vigorous physical activity. * estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.