Biomedical risk factors is an Australia's health topic

Biomedical risk factors are bodily states that have an impact on a person’s risk of disease. There are several biomedical risk factors that contribute to the risk of developing chronic health conditions. Biomedical risk factors outlined in the National Preventive Health Strategy 2021–2030 include:

  • high or low blood pressure (see Hypertension in Australia)
  • high blood glucose levels
  • overweight or obesity, and underweight (see Overweight and obesity)
  • high blood cholesterol
  • genetics, epigenetics, and telomere biology (Department of Health 2021).

Biomedical risk factors are closely related to behavioural risk factors such as tobacco use and dietary risk factors (Department of Health 2021). They may also be affected by other determinants of health including social, commercial, and environmental determinants. For more information, see What are determinants of health?

This page focuses on 3 biomedical risk factors – high blood glucose, high blood pressure and high blood lipids – which have been directly linked to specific health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease and stroke, chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Overweight and obesity are discussed in Overweight and obesity.

To report on the 3 biomedical risk factors, this report uses the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2022–24 National Health Measures Survey (NHMS), which collected self-reported and measured data on blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol.

The ABS 2022 National Health Survey (NHS) is also used to report on hypertension which is a condition when blood pressure is consistently high. The NHS collected measured data on blood pressure as well as linked survey participants’ NHS data with Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) data, which is used to determine whether someone was on medications for hypertension. For more information, see Hypertension in Australia.

For more information on the health surveys, see the ABS’s Intergenerational Health and Mental Health Study.

Key messages

Blood glucose

  • High blood plasma glucose (including diabetes) was responsible for 4.2% of total disease burden in Australia and was the fifth leading risk factor contributing to ill health and premature death in 2024.
  • An estimated 2.7% of adults aged 18 and over were at risk of diabetes with measured impaired fasting glucose in 2022–24.

Blood pressure

  • High blood pressure was responsible for 4.4% of the total disease burden, making it the fourth leading risk factor contributing to ill health and premature death in 2024. High blood pressure contributed to a higher proportion of fatal burden (7.2%) than non-fatal burden (2.0%).
  • An estimated 39% of adults aged 18 and over (approximately 7.2 million adults) had hypertension, in 2022–24.
  • Of adults with hypertension, 40% had controlled their blood pressure using medications. More females aged 18 and over (42%) than males (37%) had their hypertension controlled. 
  • 24% of adults had high measured blood pressure in 2022–24 – higher than in 2011–12 (22%). After adjusting for the effects of age, the rate of measured high blood pressure has remained similar over the last decade. 

Blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides)

  • High cholesterol levels were responsible for 2.3% of ill health and premature death in 2024. It contributed to 36% of total coronary heart disease burden and 15% of stroke burden.
  • An estimated 30% of adults aged 18 and over had measured high cholesterol in 2022–24.
  • 59% of Australian adults had dyslipidaemia (blood lipids outside of the healthy range) in 2022–24. This included 49% with uncontrolled dyslipidaemia and 10% with optimal blood lipid levels who were taking lipid-modifying medication.

Multiple biomedical risk factors

1 in 6 (17%) Australian adults had both measured high blood pressure and dyslipidaemia in 2022–24.

Blood glucose

The inability to regulate blood glucose is a characteristic of diabetes and the initial stages of type 2 diabetes, also known as pre-diabetes.

A person may not currently have diabetes but record glucose levels above the recommended range, either in the fasting or non-fasting state, placing them at significant risk of diabetes. This includes impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance.

It is also possible for blood sugar to become too low (hypoglycaemia). This can occur in people with diabetes if they have taken too much medication, have not eaten enough or have been more active than usual, and can be life threatening if not treated (Diabetes Australia n.d.; Health Direct n.d.).

Burden of high blood plasma glucose (including diabetes)

Burden of disease is a measure of the years of healthy life lost from living with illness and injury and dying prematurely. A portion of disease burden is due to modifiable risk factors. Burden of disease analysis estimates the contribution of these risk factors to this burden. These estimates reflect the amount of disease burden that could be avoided if exposure to this risk factor can be avoided or reduced to the lowest possible exposure.

High blood plasma glucose (including diabetes) was responsible for 4.2% of the total burden of ill health and premature death and was the fifth leading risk factor in Australia in 2024 (AIHW 2024). High blood plasma glucose includes the direct and indirect health effects of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other diabetes, and high blood plasma glucose (Figure 1).

Type 2 diabetes contributed 2.2% of the total burden of disease in Australia in 2024 (Figure 1). More than half of the high blood plasma glucose attributable burden is from the direct health effects of type 2 diabetes. Much of this burden can be prevented by addressing health determinants which lead to risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Other risk factors include overweight and obesity, dietary risks, insufficient physical activity, air pollution, tobacco smoking, high blood pressure and excess alcohol intake.

For more information, see Australian Burden of Disease Study 2024, Diabetes: Australian facts and Risk factors for diabetes.

Figure 1: Burden of disease directly and indirectly attributable to high blood plasma glucose in 2024

This diagram shows that 53% of high blood plasma glucose burden was attributed to Type 2 Diabetes. It also shows disease burden attributed to high blood plasma glucose for linked diseases, for example, chronic kidney disease, coronary heart disease and stroke.

Note: High blood plasma glucose is defined as per the Australian Burden of Disease Study (AIHW 2024)

Source: AIHW 2024

Self-reported data on impaired fasting plasma glucose

In 2022–24, among adults (aged 18 and over), a small number of people (0.5%) who did not have diabetes, reported having high glucose levels measured in their blood or urine (ABS 2025a). This has remained steady since 2017–18 (0.5% of adults) (ABS 2018). Men (0.5%) and women (0.6%) reported similar levels of having high glucose levels measured in their blood or urine (ABS 2025a).

Measured data on impaired fasting plasma glucose

Self-reported data can underestimate the true impact of impaired glucose regulation in the population, as people can be unaware that they have impaired glucose regulation. In the 2022–24 National Health Measures Survey (NHMS), impaired glucose regulation was assessed via measurement of fasting plasma glucose levels (a blood test). The proportion of adults (aged 18 and over) who were identified in 2022–24 as being at high risk of diabetes with impaired fasting plasma glucose was 2.7%. This was higher among men (3.6%) than women (1.7%) (ABS 2025b).

Blood pressure

Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood around the body.

Measured high blood pressure is when the force of the blood pushing against the wall of the arteries is too high. Hypertension is a diagnosed medical condition when blood pressure is consistently high. This can lead to other serious health conditions and is a major risk factor for many chronic conditions, including stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

Treatment of hypertension is usually through a combination of lifestyle changes (eating a healthy diet, keeping active, avoiding smoking) and taking medication. Well controlled high blood pressure means blood pressure measurements are in the optimal range – where the systolic blood pressure is less than 130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure is less than 80 mmHg. A doctor will advise patients what their ideal blood pressure should be, based on their medical history (Health Direct n.d.; Heart Foundation n.d.).

Definitions

High measured blood pressure

High measured blood pressure is defined as having:

  • systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mmHg and/or
  • diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90 mmHg.

A single high measurement indicates a need for further medical follow-up.

Hypertension

Hypertension is defined as:

  • having high measured blood pressure (i.e. systolic blood pressure is greater than or equal to 140 mmHg, and/or diastolic blood pressure is greater than or equal to 90 mmHg), and/or
  • receiving medication for high blood pressure (Whitworth 2003)

Hypertension diagnosis is based on multiple blood pressure readings on separate occasions. Generally, if you have a high blood pressure reading taken on at least 2 separate days by a health professional, you may have a diagnosis of hypertension (Health Direct n.d.; Heart Foundation n.d).

Controlled and uncontrolled hypertension

Hypertension can be controlled through taking medications to reduce blood pressure (antihypertensive medications).

Controlled hypertension is defined as people who are taking medication for hypertension and have a blood pressure reading within the recommended ranges.

Uncontrolled hypertension is defined as people with blood pressure readings above the recommended ranges, regardless of whether they are taking medications.

Burden of high blood pressure and hypertensive heart disease

High blood pressure

In 2024, high blood pressure contributed to 4.4% of ill health and premature deaths (total disease burden), making it the fourth leading risk factor, after overweight (including obesity), tobacco smoking and dietary risk factors. High blood pressure contributed more to fatal burden (dying prematurely) at 7.2% than non-fatal burden (living with illness and injury) at 2.0% (AIHW 2024).

It was estimated that high blood pressure contributed to 61% of hypertensive heart disease total burden, 40% of coronary heart disease burden, 37% of stroke burden, 35% of chronic kidney disease burden, and 29% of atrial fibrillation and flutter burden in 2024 (AIHW 2024).

Hypertensive heart disease

Australians lost around 16,400 years of healthy life due to living with, and dying from hypertensive heart disease, in 2024. It accounted for 0.3% of total disease burden and 2.4% of the cardiovascular disease burden.

Most of the burden due to hypertensive heart disease was from fatal burden (98.7%), compared with 1.3% from non-fatal burden.

Males experienced more burden (54%) from hypertensive heart disease than females (46%). People aged 60 and over experienced the most burden, accounting for 83% of the burden from the condition (AIHW 2024).

Hypertension

Based on measured blood pressure data and linked PBS dispensed medications data, 39% of Australian adults aged 18 and over were estimated to have hypertension, in 2022. This is approximately 7.2 million adults. There was a similar proportion of males (40%) and females (39%) with hypertension (Figure 2).

Hypertension became more common with increasing age, with the lowest seen in those aged 18–24 (7.0%) and the highest in those aged 75 and over (85%). This pattern was seen in both males and females (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Proportion of adults aged 18 and over with hypertension, by sex and age group, 2022

The bar chart shows rates of hypertension in adults aged 18 and over increasing with age. This increase was seen in both males and females.

The bar chart shows rates of hypertension in adults aged 18 and over increasing with age. This increase was seen in both males and females.

Notes

Hypertension is defined as those with:

  1. Systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mmHg, and/or
  2. Diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90 mmHg, and/or
  3. Dispensed an antihypertensive medication.

Data presented include imputed data of the 39% of adults who did not have their blood pressure measured in the NHS 2022. See ABS 2022 NHS Methodology for details on the imputation method.

After adjusting for the effects of age, the proportion of people with hypertension remained similar between 2011–12 and 2017–18 (AIHW analysis of ABS 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2023). Note that hypertension estimates from 2022 are considered a break in series due to differences in the collection of medications with previous national health surveys; hypertension data from the NHS 2022 are therefore not comparable with data from previous surveys. For more information, see Hypertension in Australia.

Self-reported data on hypertension

Of adults who had hypertension (based on measured blood pressure data and linked PBS medications data), 63% did not self-report that they had hypertension, suggesting people may be unaware that they have the condition (AIHW analysis of ABS 2025).

Self-reported hypertension underestimates the true prevalence of hypertension in the population, as hypertension often presents with no symptoms in the early stages. Self-reported data is influenced by an individual’s awareness and knowledge of the condition, as well as recall ability, interpretation of the survey question and willingness to report.

Controlled hypertension

People with hypertension are considered to have it under control if the measurements are in the recommended range. This control can occur by following a healthy diet, keeping active, avoiding smoking and taking medication. Data in this next section focusses on hypertension controlled using medications dispensed through the PBS, where controlled hypertension refers to people who are on antihypertensive medications and had a blood pressure reading within the recommended range.

In December 2022, the Minister for Health and Aged Care (now Department of Health, Disability and Ageing), officially launched The National Hypertension Taskforce, which is a cross-sector collaboration hosted by the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance, Hypertension Australia and including, amongst others, the Heart Foundation and Stroke Foundation (Australian Cardiovascular Alliance n.d.).

The Taskforce aims to improve the proportion of people with controlled blood pressure in Australia to 70% by 2030 through increasing the prevention, detection and effective treatment of hypertension and bringing together primary health care and allied health professionals (National Hypertension Taskforce 2023).

In 2022, of adults aged 18 and over who had hypertension (AIHW analysis of ABS 2023):

  • 40% had controlled blood pressure and were taking antihypertensive medications.
  • More females (42%) than males (37%) had their hypertension controlled and were taking medications.

Of people with hypertension, the proportion with controlled hypertension increased with increasing age. The lowest proportion was seen in those aged 18–34 (18%), rising to almost half (49%) of those aged 75 and over (Figure 3). Females generally had higher rates of controlled hypertension than males, across most age groups. However, the variation by sex reduced with increasing age (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Proportion of adults with hypertension who have their hypertension controlled with medication, by sex and age group, 2022

The bar chart shows that females aged 18+ have higher rates of controlled hypertension in younger age groups compared with males, but the difference reduces between the sexes in older age groups. 

The bar chart shows that females aged 18+ have higher rates of controlled hypertension in younger age groups compared with males, but the difference reduces between the sexes in older age groups. 

Notes:

  1. Controlled hypertension refers to people who are dispensed medications for hypertension and have a normal measured blood pressure reading.
  2. Data presented include imputed data of the 39% of adults who did not have their blood pressure measured in the NHS 2022. See ABS 2022 NHS methodology for details on the imputation method.

Measured high blood pressure

Measured high blood pressure can indicate that a person may have hypertension and be unaware of the condition, or that their hypertension is uncontrolled and that they may need to follow up with a health professional to strengthen their treatment.

Based on measured data, 24% of adults had measured high blood pressure in 2022–24. This was slightly higher among males (25%) than females (22%) (AIHW analysis of ABS 2025a).

Measured high blood pressure increased with age from between 6.0% and 16% of those aged between 18 to 44, to 27% of 45–54-year-olds, 33% of 55–64-year-olds, 38% of 65–74-year-olds, to 40% of people aged 75 years and older (AIHW analysis of ABS 2025a).

After adjusting for the effects of age, the rate of measured high blood pressure has remained similar over the last decade from 2011–12 to 2022–24 (22% and 24%, respectively) (AIHW analysis of ABS 2013 and 2025a).

Blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides)

Blood lipids are fats in the blood and include cholesterol and triglycerides. Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced by the liver and carried by the blood to supply material for cell walls and hormones. Triglycerides play an important role in metabolism as an energy source and in helping to transfer dietary fat throughout the body.

When blood lipids are outside of the optimal range, it is referred to as dyslipidaemia. Dyslipidaemia can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, a build-up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels. This build-up increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Blood tests are used to determine levels of the commonly measured blood lipids. The standard lipid blood tests include measurements of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL, or 'bad' cholesterol), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL, or 'good' cholesterol), as well as triglycerides.

Burden of high cholesterol

High cholesterol was the eighth leading risk factor and contributed to 2.3% of ill health and premature deaths in Australia in 2024. It contributed to 36% of coronary heart disease burden and 15% of stroke burden (AIHW 2024).

For more information, see Burden of disease.

Self-reported data on high cholesterol

In 2022–24, an estimated 10.2% of Australian adults reported having high cholesterol (AIHW analysis of ABS 2025). In 2017–18, 7.8% of adults reported having high cholesterol (ABS 2018). In 2022–24, high cholesterol was reported by 10.7% of males aged 18 and over and 9.8% of females – this difference between sexes was not significant (AIHW analysis of ABS 2025a). Self-reported high cholesterol also increased with increasing age, from 0.8% of people aged 18–34 to 28% of people aged 75 and over (AIHW analysis of ABS 2025a).

Measured data on blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides)

In the 2022–24 NHMS, blood lipid levels were measured via a blood test. A person had dyslipidaemia if they had one or more of the following:

  • total cholesterol greater than or equal to 5.5 mmol/L
  • LDL cholesterol greater than or equal to 3.5 mmol/L
  • HDL cholesterol less than 1.0 mmol/L in men or less than 1.3 mmol/L in women
  • triglycerides greater than or equal to 2mmol/L
  • or were taking lipid-modifying medication (ABS 2013a).

Based on measured data from the 2022–24 NHMS, around 2 in 3 (59%) Australian adults had dyslipidaemia or blood lipids outside of the healthy range. This included around 49% with uncontrolled dyslipidaemia and 10% with optimal blood lipid levels who were taking lipid-modifying medication (ABS 2025c). More males aged 18 and over (61%) than females (57%) had dyslipidaemia (ABS 2025c).

Self-reported data underestimate the true impact of dyslipidaemia in the population, as many people are unaware of their blood lipid levels. In 2022–24, about 1 in 3 (30%) Australians adults had suboptimal or high total cholesterol levels according to their blood test results, similar for men and women (28% and 32%, respectively) (ABS 2025b).

Other biomedical risk factors

The Australian Burden of Disease Study 2024 also estimated the contribution of other biomedical risk factors to the total burden of disease in Australia. These are, in 2024:

  • impaired kidney function – contributed 2.0% of total disease burden
  • low birth weight and short gestation – contributed 0.9%
  • low bone mineral density – contributed 0.4%
  • iron deficiency – contributed 0.3% (AIHW 2024).

Multiple biomedical risk factors

Biomedical risk factors can interact and have a cumulative effect on disease risk. Having multiple risk factors can increase the risk of diseases developing, lead to earlier disease onset, increase severity and complicate treatments.

The development of one risk factor can lead to the occurrence of another, or they may have shared causes. For example, high blood pressure and dyslipidaemia are often related to inadequate diet and living with overweight and obesity.

Based on measured data from the 2022–24 NHMS, an estimated 1 in 6 (17%) Australian adults had both measured high blood pressure and dyslipidaemia. This includes people with measured high blood pressure and dyslipidaemia, and those who take medication to control their dyslipidaemia. This increased with increasing age, from 6.5% in people aged 18–34 to 34% in people aged 75 and over. Nearly 7 in 10 (68%) adults had either measured high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia or both risk factors. This was highest in people aged 75 and over (87%) and 65–74 (88%) (AIHW analysis of ABS 2025).

Key data gaps and data improvement activities

Current data gaps on biomedical risk factors include:

  • regular national health surveys that measure these markers of chronic diseases. Having more regular national health surveys would help determine population health trends and can be used to develop targeted preventive health programs to improve health outcomes in the Australian population
  • comprehensive national primary health care data collections, such as data from general practice, which are essential in the management and treatment of many risk factors, including high blood plasma glucose, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Primary health care data allow for insight into how these risk factors and associated health conditions are being addressed
  • national datasets that link information on biomedical markers to other health risk factors and chronic conditions. Linked national datasets would allow us to explore how risk factors affect health and provide key insights into the relationships between these different health determinants and the development of chronic diseases
  • detailed information for priority population groups to help identify variations and inequities in health status.

Recent data linkage activities to improve the breadth and richness of available data include:

  • the National Health Data Hub, formerly the National Integrated Health Services Information Analysis Asset, developed by the AIHW
  • the Person Level Integrated Data Asset, formerly the Multi-Agency Data Integration Project, developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Health data linkage activities provide the opportunity for detailed investigation between clinical measures and long-term health outcomes. 

Opportunities for improvement and development of national data sources include investments in conducting surveys measuring clinical biomarkers on a more regular basis.

Where do I go for more information?

For more information on biomedical risk factors, see:

For more on this topic, see Risk factors.