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


QUEENSLAND

General health

  • Considered themselves to be in excellent or very good health - 2 million people (55.8% of persons aged 15 years and over in Queensland)
  • Experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress - 416,900 people (11.9% of persons aged 18 years and over in Queensland)

Long-term health conditions
  • Arthritis - 608,600 people (13.2% of persons in Queensland)
  • Asthma - 486,100 people (10.6%)
  • Cancer - 91,900 people (2.0%)
  • Diabetes - 212,200 people (4.6%)
  • Hayfever - 770,900 people (16.8%)
  • Heart disease - 255,100 people (5.5%)
  • High cholesterol - 296,200 people (6.4%)
  • Hypertension - 471,000 people (10.2%)
  • Kidney disease - 32,200* people (0.7%)
  • Long sightedness - 1.4 million people (30.6%)
  • Mental and behavioural conditions - 831,100 people (18.1%)
  • Osteoporosis - 142,200 people (3.1%)
  • Short sightedness - 1.1 million people (24.2%)
    Compared with Australia, Queensland had a higher rate of Long sightedness.
    Compared with Australia, Queensland had lower rates of Arthritis, Hayfever and Hypertension. Other conditions were similar to the national rate.

    Health risk factors

    Smoking
    • Current daily smoker – 562,800 people (16.1% of persons aged 18 years and over in Queensland)

    Overweight and Obesity

    Adults
    • Overweight – 1.2 million people (33.4% of persons aged 18 years and over in Queensland)
    • Obese – 1.1 million people (30.2%)
    • Overweight or obese - 2.2 million people (63.6%)

    Children
    • Overweight – 174,500 children (17.9% of children aged 2-17 years in Queensland)
    • Obese – 72,900 children (7.5%)
    • Overweight or obese - 240,000 children (24.6%)

    Alcohol consumption 1
    • Exceeded lifetime risk guidelines (no more than two standard drinks on any day) – 630,000 people (18.0% of persons aged 18 years and over in Queensland)
    • Exceeded single occasion risk guidelines (no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion) – 1.6 million people (46.4%)

    Blood pressure
    • High blood pressure (equal to or greater than 140/90 mmHg) – 812,000 people (23.2% of persons aged 18 years and over in Queensland)

    Rates of high blood pressure increased in 2014-15 compared with 2011-12 (20.8%). 2

    Daily intake of fruit and vegetables 3

    Adults
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of fruit – 1.8 million people (51.2% of persons aged 18 years and over in Queensland)
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables – 280,800 people (8.0%)
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of both fruit and vegetables – 213,200 people (6.1%)

    Children
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of fruit – 698,900 children (66.7% of children aged 2-18 years in Queensland)
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables – 48,400 children (4.6%)
    • Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of both fruit and vegetables – 45,300 children (4.3%)

    Exercise 4
    • Participated in sufficient physical activity – 1.3 million people (43.9% of persons aged 18-64 years in Queensland)


    Compared with Australia, Queensland had a higher rate of persons aged 18 years and over who were obese, a higher rate of those who exceeded single occasion risk guidelines of alcohol consumption and a lower rate of persons aged 18-64 years who were sufficiently active. 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 over five or more sessions per week 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