Health risk factors
Data considerations
Data from the 2020–21 NHS presented in this chapter have been tested for statistically significant differences at the 5% level using confidence intervals, and comprehensive tables are available in Health of veterans: supplementary data tables – Table S6. For more information on the methodology used, see Technical notes.
While comparisons can be inferred from the information provided here from the 2020–21 NHS, some differences between the populations are likely to be confounded by the older age structure of the population who have ever served in the ADF, and comparisons should be used as a guide only. The results presented below have not been adjusted for age as the data could not meet requirements to do so, and readers should take this into consideration when interpreting the results presented.
Currently, women comprise around 18% of the population who have ever served in the ADF (based on self-reported data from the 2020–21 NHS). These relatively low numbers constrain reporting on the health of women who have served, therefore this section of the report presents data for men only.
A person’s health and their capacity to remain healthy can be affected by a wide range of lifestyle factors, which can influence a person’s health in the short or long term. These can be protective or detrimental.
Veterans’ health is influenced by health behaviours that may be related to ADF service or individual lifestyle. Screening at recruitment and aspects of serving in the ADF, such as the requirement to maintain a high level of physical fitness and regular health assessments may act as a protective factor for veterans’ health.
The results presented below have not been adjusted for age as the data could not meet requirements to do so. Given the nature of DVA clients and the age structure of the ADF population, some results below are likely to be confounded by age and as such comparisons should be used as a guide only.
Based on self-reported data from the 2020–21 NHS, of males aged 18 years and over:
- Smoking: 11% of those who ever served in the ADF smoked daily, which was similar to those who had never served (13%). Around 1 in 6 (#16%1) DVA clients, and around 1 in 12 (8.4%) non-DVA clients, smoked daily.
- Alcohol consumption: 2 in 5 (40%) of males who had ever served in the ADF exceeded the Australian Adult Alcohol Guidline2, while 1 in 3 (33%) of males who had never served in the ADF exceeded the Guideline (Figure 9). Almost half (#47%1) of all DVA clients exceeded alcohol guidelines, while 36% of non-DVA clients exceeded the Guideline (Figure 10).
Figure 9: Proportion of males aged 18 and over who exceeded the Australian Alcohol Guidelines, by ADF service status, 2020–21
Notes:
1. For healthy persons aged 18 years and over who exceeded the guidelines either consumed more than 10 standard drinks per week or more than 4 standard drinks on a single day at least 12 or more times in the last 12 months.
2. The thin vertical lines superimposed over the top end of each bar are 95% confidence intervals.
Chart: AIHW.
Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2022. See Health of veterans: supplementary data tables – Table S6.
Source: ABS (2018) Microdata: National Health Survey, 2017–18, ABS cat no. 4324.0.55. 001, findings based on TableBuilder analysis. Canberra: ABS. See Health of veterans: supplementary data tables – Table S6.
Figure 10: Proportion of males aged 18 and over who exceeded the Australian Alcohol Guidelines, by DVA client status, 2020–21
# Proportion has a high margin of error (MoE) and should be used with caution.
Notes:
1. For healthy persons aged 18 years and over who exceeded the guidelines either consumed more than 10 standard drinks per week or more than 4 standard drinks on a single day at least 12 or more times in the last 12 months.
2. The thin vertical lines superimposed over the top end of each bar are 95% confidence intervals.
Chart: AIHW.
Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2022. See Health of veterans: supplementary data tables – Table S6.
- Overweight and obesity: 75% of those who had ever served in the ADF were overweight or obese according to the standard BMI classification3, which was higher than those who had never served (61%)4. DVA clients had similar rates of being overweight or obese to non-DVA clients (#72%1 and 77% respectively). Using physical measurement data taken as part of the 2017–18 NHS, of males aged 18 years and over, 82% of those who had ever served in the ADF were overweight or obese, which was higher than those who had never served (74%). In 2017–18, DVA clients had similar rates of being overweight or obese to non-DVA clients (85% and 80%, respectively)5.
- Fruit and vegetable consumption: around 55% of males did not eat the recommended two serves of fruit6, regardless of ADF service status or DVA client status. Around 94% of males who had ever served in the ADF, and 96% of males who had never served, did not meet the recommended vegetable guidelines5. Of those who had ever served, 89% of DVA clients, and 97% of non-DVA clients, did not meet the recommended vegetable guidelines.
- Physical activity: around 70% of males did not meet the 2014 Physical Activity guidelines7 (including workplace activity) regardless of ADF service status (Figure 11). Over half of DVA clients (#60%1), and 72% of non-DVA clients did not meet the physical activity guidelines (Figure 11).
Figure 11: Proportion of males aged 18 and over who did not meet the physical activity guidelines, regardless of ADF service status or DVA client status, 2020–21
# Proportion has a high margin of error (MoE) and should be used with caution.
Notes:
1. The Physical activity and Exercise guidelines outline how much physical activity Australians should do depending on their age.
2. The thin vertical lines superimposed over the top end of each bar are 95% confidence intervals.
Chart: AIHW.
Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2022. See Health of veterans: supplementary data tables – Table S6.
1 Proportions marked with a hash (#) have a high MoE and should be interpreted with caution. A high MoE is considered as greater than 10%.
2 For healthy persons aged 18 years and over who exceeded the guideline either consumed more than 10 standard drinks per week or more than 4 standard drinks on a single day at least 12 or more times in the last 12 months.
3 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BMI in the 2020-21 NHS was derived from self-reported height and weight. This method underestimates actual levels of overweight and obesity due to the tendency for people to over-report their height and under-report their weight. As such, these results should be interpreted with caution.
4 BMI does not distinguish between the weight of fat or muscle in an individual (Health Direct 2016). This means that people who are relatively healthy but who have higher proportions of muscle may be incorrectly classed as overweight or obese. Due to the level of fitness required to enlist in the ADF, higher rates of overweight/obesity in the ADF population may be in part due to different physical characteristics, and may not indicate the increased health risk generally associated with excess body weight (AIHW 2018).
5 Overweight and obese classification is derived from measured height and weight. In 2017–18, 33.8% of respondents aged 18 years and over did not have their height, weight or both measured. For these respondents, imputation was used to obtain height, weight and BMI scores. Overweight and obesity is defined by a BMI of 25kg/m2 or more. For more information, see glossary.
6 The 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults eat 2 serves of fruit and 5–6 serves of vegetables per day to achieve adequate fruit and vegetable intake (NHMRC 2013). Refer to Glossary for more information.
7 The Physical activity and Exercise guidelines developed by the Department of Health outline how much physical activity Australians should do depending on their age. Refer to Glossary for more information.