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 NORTHERN TERRITORY General health Considered themselves to be in excellent or very good health - 83,000 people (59.5% of persons aged 15 years and over in NT) Experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress - 10,300 people (7.8% of persons aged 18 years and over in NT) Compared with Australia, the Northern Territory had a lower rate of high or very high psychological distress. Long-term health conditions Arthritis - 15,100 people (8.6% of persons in NT) Asthma - 14,300 people (8.2%) Cancer - 1,600* people (0.9%) Diabetes - 7,600 people (4.3%) Hayfever - 20,800 people (11.9%) Heart disease - 4,800 people (2.8%) High cholesterol - 7,600 people (4.4%) Hypertension - 11,500 people (6.6%) Kidney disease - 2,000* people (1.1%) Long sightedness - 45,200 people (25.8%) Mental and behavioural conditions - 25,800 people (14.8%) Osteoporosis - 2,200* people (1.3%) Short sightedness - 40,100 people (22.9%) Compared with Australia, the Northern Territory had lower rates of Arthritis, Asthma, Cancer, Hayfever, Heart disease, High cholesterol, Hypertension, Long sightedness, Mental and behavioural conditions and Osteoporosis. Other conditions were similar to the national rate. Health risk factors *Smoking* Current daily smoker - 27,700 people (20.9% of persons aged 18 years and over in NT) *Overweight and Obesity* Adults Overweight - 46,900 people (35.3% of persons aged 18 years and over in NT) Obese - 38,500 people (29.0%) Overweight or obese - 85,400 people (64.3%) Children Overweight - 5,500 children (14.8% of children aged 2-17 years in NT) Obese - 4,800 children (12.9%) Overweight or obese - 9,600 children (25.6%) *Alcohol consumption* ¹ Exceeded lifetime risk guidelines (no more than two standard drinks on any day) - 25,600 people (19.3% of persons aged 18 years and over in NT) Exceeded single occasion risk guidelines (no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion) - 63,500 people (47.8%) Rates of persons aged 18 years and over who exceeded lifetime risk guidelines of alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory decreased in 2014-15 compared with 2011-12 (24.7%). ² Rates of persons aged 18 years and over who exceeded single occasion risk guidelines of alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory decreased in 2014-15 compared with 2011-12 (54.6%). ² *Blood pressure* High blood pressure (equal to or greater than 140/90 mmHg) – 26,200 people (19.7% of persons aged 18 years and over in NT) *Daily intake of fruit and vegetables* ³ Adults Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of fruit - 63,000 people (47.4% of persons aged 18 years and over in NT) Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables - 9,700 people (7.3%) Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of both fruit and vegetables - 7,100 people (5.3%) Children Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of fruit – 27,500 children (67.4% of children aged 2-18 years in NT) Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables – 3,000* children (7.4%) Met the Australian Dietary Guidelines for recommended daily serves of both fruit and vegetables – 3,200 children (7.7%) *Exercise* ⁴ Participated in sufficient physical activity – 57,400 people (48.3% of persons aged 18-64 years in NT) Compared with Australia, the Northern Territory had a higher rate of persons aged 18 years and over who were current daily smokers and a lower rate who had high blood pressure. 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 Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.