High body mass was responsible for 7.2% (or around 9,500 deaths) of total deaths in Australia in 2003. Of these deaths, almost two-thirds (65%) were from ischaemic heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
High body mass was responsible for 7.5% (or around 196,000 DALYs) of the total burden of disease and injury in Australia in 2003. Of these DALYs, just over three-quarters (77%) were from ischaemic heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
High body mass was estimated to be responsible for 7.5% of the attributable burden of disease and was third in line behind tobacco and high blood pressure. Between the sexes, high body mass in males was responsible for 7.7% of the attributable burden of disease, while for females high body mass was responsible for 7.3% of the attributable burden.
Source tables
Men
Deaths and burden (DALYs) attributable to high body mass, by specific cause, 2003
| Specific cause |
Deaths |
DALYs |
| Type 2 diabetes |
1,400 |
78,700 |
| Ischaemic heart disease |
4,900 |
66,500 |
| Stroke |
1,500 |
22,200 |
| Colorectal cancer |
700 |
9,900 |
| Breast cancer |
400 |
7,100 |
| Other |
600 |
13,100 |
| Total attributable |
9,500 |
197,600 |
| Total attributable % |
7.2 |
7.5 |
Notes:
1. DALYs: disability-adjusted life-years.
2. Risk is attributed to all people in the population with a BMI of greater than 21, with the degree of risk increasing exponentially above this value.
Source: AIHW. The burden of disease and injury in Australia 2003.
Individual and joint burden (DALYs) attributable to 14 selected risk factors, 2003
| Risk factor |
Males |
Females |
Persons |
| Tobacco |
9.6 |
5.8 |
7.8 |
| High blood pressure |
7.8 |
7.3 |
7.6 |
| High body mass |
7.7 |
7.3 |
7.5 |
| Physical inactivity |
6.4 |
6.8 |
6.6 |
| High blood cholesterol |
6.6 |
5.8 |
6.2 |
| Alcohol |
3.8 |
0.7 |
2.3 |
| Low fruit & vegetable consumption |
2.7 |
1.5 |
2.1 |
| Illicit drugs |
2.7 |
1.2 |
2.0 |
| Occupational exposures & hazards |
2.6 |
1.3 |
2.0 |
| Intimate partner violence |
- |
2.3 |
1.1 |
| Child sexual abuse |
0.3 |
1.5 |
0.9 |
| Urban air pollution |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
| Unsafe sex |
0.5 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
| Osteoporosis |
<0.1 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
| Joint effect(b) |
35.1 |
29.1 |
32.2 |
(a) Attributable burden within each sex is expressed as a precentage of total burden for that column.
(b) Figures for joint effects are not column totals.
Notes:
1. DALYs: disability-adjusted life-years.
2. Risk is attributed to all people in the population with a BMI of greater than 21, with the degree of risk increasing exponentially above this value.
Source: AIHW. The burden of disease and injury in Australia 2003.