Overweight and obesity

Children and adolescents

Based on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) analysis of measured height and weight data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2022–24 National Health Measures Survey (NHMS) (ABS 2025b), of children and adolescents aged 2–17, an estimated: 

• 27% were living with overweight or obesity, approximately 1.4 million children and adolescents.
• 18% were living with overweight but not obesity.
• 8.5% were living with obesity. 

The proportion living with overweight or obesity was similar for boys and girls across most age groups (Figure 3). 

The proportion of girls and boys living with obesity varied across age groups, noting children experience rapid growth and change over this time. The proportion living with obesity was higher in girls aged 2–4 (11%) than boys of the same age (3.2%). This proportion for girls decreased to 4.8% in those aged 5–7, while for boys, the proportion living with obesity increased to 8.0% in this age group (Figure 3).

Adults

Body mass index (BMI)

Based on AIHW analysis of measured data from the ABS 2022–24 NHMS (ABS 2025b), of adults aged 18 and over, an estimated:

• 67% were living with overweight or obesity – approximately 13.2 million adults
• 34% were living with overweight but not obesity
• 33% were living with obesity
• 13% were living with severe obesity, which is defined in this report as having a BMI of 35 kg/m² or more.

For almost all the measures of overweight or obesity, males had higher rates than females. In 2022–24 (Figure 3):

• 73% of males and 62% of females were living with overweight or obesity
• 38% of males and 30% of females were living with overweight (but not obesity)
• similar proportions of males (34%) and females (32%) were living with obesity.

In 2022–24, the proportion of adults living with overweight or obesity generally increased with age. This is seen in both males and females (Figure 3):

• For males, the proportion increased from 43% of those aged 18–24 to a peak of 83% in those aged 65–74.
• For females, the proportion increased from 40% of those aged 18–24 to a peak of around 70% in those aged 55–64 and 65–74.

Obesity is also more common in older age groups. In 2022–24, 43% of males and 37% of females aged 65–74 were living with obesity, compared with 16% of males and 13% of females aged 18–24 (Figure 3).

Overweight or obesity is also distributed differently among males and females aged 18 and over, as seen in Figure 4.

Waist circumference

Waist circumference is an alternative way to assess overweight and obesity. Excess body fat around the abdomen can be an indicator of the level of internal fat deposits on organs such as the heart, kidneys, liver and digestive organs. A higher waist circumference can increase the risk of chronic disease (Heart Foundation 2025). 

Abdominal overweight is defined here as having a waist circumference measurement of 94 cm or more in men, and 80 cm or more in women, and is considered to be at increased risk of metabolic complications. Abdominal obesity is defined here as having a waist circumference measurement of 102cm or more in men, and 88cm or more in women, and is considered to be at substantially increased risk of metabolic complications.

The analysis of abdominal overweight and obesity is limited to adults due to a lack of consensus on the definition for children and adolescents.

Based on AIHW analysis of measured waist circumference data from the ABS 2022–24 NHMS (ABS 2025b), of adults aged 18 and over (Figure 5):

• 69% were living with abdominal overweight or obesity
• 21% were living with abdominal overweight (but not obesity)
• 48% were living with abdominal obesity.

Females aged 18 and over (73%) were more likely than males (65%) to be living with abdominal overweight or obesity. This is driven by the larger proportion of females living with abdominal obesity (54%), compared with males (42%) (Figure 5).

The proportion of adults with abdominal overweight or obesity increased with increasing age. Older adults aged 65–74 were more likely (86%) than any other age group to be living with abdominal overweight or obesity (Figure 5).  

Trends over time

Children and adolescents

The proportion of children and adolescents aged 5–17 living with overweight or obesity increased between 1995 and 2007–08 (from 20% to 25%), then remained relatively stable from 2007–08 to 2017–18 (both at 25%), before increasing to 28% in 2022–24 (Figure 6). This increase between 2017–18 to 2022–24 was driven by the increase in the proportion of children living with overweight (but not obesity), which increased from 17% in 2017–18 and 19% in 2022–24 (Figure 6).

Note: Long-term trend data for overweight and obesity are presented for children aged 5–17 only as data on weight and height were not collected for children aged 2–4 in the 2007–08 National Health Survey.

Adults

Body Mass Index

The proportion of adults aged 18 and over living with overweight or obesity has remained stable between 2017–18 and 2022–24 (both at 67%). However, over a longer time period, this proportion increased steadily from 56% in 1995 (Figure 7). After adjusting for age, this increase is statistically significant.

The increase in the proportion living with overweight or obesity was largely driven by an increase in those living with obesity, which increased from 19% in 1995 to 33% in 2022–24 (Figure 7). After adjusting for age, this increase is statistically significant.

The distribution of BMI in adults also shifted towards higher BMIs from 2011–12 to 2022–24, due to an increase in obesity in the population over time. This was seen in both males and females (Figure 8).

Waist circumference

The proportion of adults aged 18 and over living with abdominal overweight or obesity increased between 1995 (45%) to 2022–24 (69%) (Figure 7). This is largely driven by an increase in those living with abdominal obesity, which nearly doubled from 25% in 1995 to 48% in 2022–24. After adjusting for the effects of age, this difference was statistically significant (Figure 7).

Since 2007–08, the proportion of adults living with abdominal overweight or obesity was consistently higher in females than in males. This was driven by the higher proportion of females living with abdominal obesity. Over time, the increase in the proportion of females aged 18 and over living with abdominal obesity was also greater than the increase for males (Figure 7).