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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NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY, 2014-15


NEW SOUTH WALES

General health

  • Considered themselves to be in excellent or very good health - 3.3 million people (55.4% of persons aged 15 years and over in NSW)
  • Experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress - 630,700 people (11% of persons aged 18 years and over in NSW)

Long-term health conditions

  • Arthritis - 1.2 million people (16.5% of persons in NSW)
  • Asthma - 769,500 people (10.4%)
  • Cancer - 122,400 people (1.7%)
  • Diabetes - 412,000 people (5.6%)
  • Hayfever - 1.4 million people (18.4%)
  • Heart disease - 368,700 people (5.0%)
  • High Cholesterol - 533,300 people (7.2%)
  • Hypertension - 888,000 people (12.0%)
  • Kidney disease - 64,800 people (0.9%)
  • Long sightedness - 2.3 million people (31.1%)
  • Mental and behavioural conditions - 1.3 million people (17.8%)
  • Osteoporosis - 300,900 people (4.1%)
  • Short sightedness - 1.9 million people (25.7%)
    Compared with Australia, New South Wales had higher rates of Arthritis, Long sightedness and Osteoporosis. Other conditions were similar to the national rate.

    Health risk factors

    Smoking
    • Current daily smoker - 815,000 people (14.2% of persons aged 18 years and over in NSW)

    Overweight and Obesity

    Adults
    • Overweight - 2 million people (35.2% of persons aged 18 years and over in NSW)
    • Obese - 1.6 million people (28.2%)
    • Overweight or obese - 3.6 million people (63.2%)

    Children
    • Overweight - 251,800 children (16.9% of children aged 2-17 years in NSW)
    • Obese - 129,300 children (8.7%)
    • Overweight or obese - 368,800 children (24.8%)

    Alcohol consumption 1
    • Exceeded lifetime risk guidelines (no more than two standard drinks on any day) - 1 million people (17.6% of persons aged 18 years and over in NSW)
    • Exceeded single occasion risk guidelines (no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion) - 2.4 million people (42.5%)

    Blood pressure
    • High blood pressure (equal to or greater than 140/90 mmHg) - 1.3 million people (22.5% of persons aged 18 years and over in NSW)

    Daily intake of fruit and vegetables 2

    Adults
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of fruit - 2.8 million people (49.2% of persons aged 18 years and over in NSW)
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables - 350,600 people (6.1%)
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of both fruit and vegetables - 263,000 people (4.6%)

    Children

    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of fruit -1.1 million children (70.4% of children aged 2-18 years in NSW)
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables - 93,400 children (6.0%)
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of both fruit and vegetables - 93,400 children (6.0%)

    Exercise 3
    • Participated in sufficient physical activity - 2.2 million people (47.9% of persons aged 18-64 years in NSW)

    Compared with Australia, New South Wales had a lower rate of persons aged 18 years and over exceeding single occasion risk guidelines of alcohol consumption. 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 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.

    3 Sufficient physical activity (duration and session) is defined as 150 minutes of physical activity over five or more sessions per week including walking for fitness/transport, moderate and/or vigorous physical activity.