Statistical data on healthy ageing

The Office for an Ageing Australia, Commonwealth Department of Health and Welfare has funded the Australian Institute of Health and Ageing to conduct analyses in the area of healthy ageing that will inform policy makers, program deliverers, researchers and community organisations. The initial areas of analysis are:

• Obesity trends in older Australians
• Vision problems in older Australians
• Workforce participation and obesity and 
• Workforce participation and behavioural risk factors 

Links to these reports will be made available on this website as they become available. 

Obesity trends in older Australians

Obesity Trends in Older Australians is the first national obesity study to focus on older Australians rather than adults generally. Looking at age groups from 55 onwards, it shows that older men and women are 6‑7 kg heavier on average than their counterparts 20 years ago-the equivalent of 12‑14 medium-sized tubs of margarine.

There has also been a trebling in 20 years of those older Australians who are obese (markedly overweight), from 310,000 in 1980 to 940,000 in 2000. This is more than one in five of Australia's older people, with one-third of the increase in number being the result of an ageing population and two-thirds due to an increase in obesity rates.

Obesity carries clear health risks at all ages, and age itself carries some well-known health risks.

The growing number of obese older Australians comprise a group who are now especially at risk from chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers, osteoarthritis and kidney disease. As well, obesity can affect their independence in performing their daily living tasks, their mobility, their social lives and their mental health.

With the number of obese older Australians now approaching 1 million, there are clearly plenty of challenges here for productive and healthy ageing, as well as implications for health and aged care services, and for carers and their wellbeing.

Vision problems in older Australians

Vision problems in older Australians is the first report of its kind to be based on the best of Australian and international data sources. 

Visual impairment and its causes are strongly related to age. It is an important health issue facing the present and future generations of older Australians because it can affect physical, functional, emotional and social wellbeing, and reduce quality of life. 

This bulletin presents the most reliable, robust and up-to-date estimates of the prevalence major vision problems among older Australians aged 55 or more. Cataract is the most prevalent eye disease that causes vision impairment and is present in 31% (1.46 million) of older Australians. Age-related macular degeneration affects 3.1% (147,000), diabetic retinopathy is present in 2.8% (133,900) and glaucoma in 2.3% (109,300). The prevalence of vision problems among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is also reported and data quality and availability issues are discussed. 

About 444,400 Australians aged 55 or more are visually impaired, which represents 9.4% of the 4.7 million Australians in that age group. Among older Australians, the leading causes of visual impairment and blindness are age-related eye disorders such as cataract, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Presbyopia, an age-related eye disorder, is a significant cause of visual impairment (but not blindness) that can be corrected by eyewear. 

Preventing and treating visual impairment can increase the prospect of enjoying life as a healthy, productive older person. These estimates are important for use in planning prevention and treatment interventions.

Last reviewed on 21 July 2005