Focus Area 2: Improving access to, and the consumption of a healthy diet

Table 2: Tracking progress against the targets in Focus Area 2
TargetBaseline value1Latest value2Tracking against target3Comparison
change
Target 1: Halt the rise and reverse the trend in the prevalence of obesity in adults by 20304In 2017−18, 31.3% of adults aged 18 and over were living with obesity (ABS 2018a).In 2022, 31.7% of adults aged 18 and over were living with obesity (ABS 2023a).No change
0.4 percentage point ↑ (increase)
Target 2: Reduce overweight and obesity in children and adolescents aged 2−17 years by at least 5% by 20304In 2017−18, 24.9% of those aged 2−17 were living with overweight or obesity (ABS 2018b).In 2022, 26.4% of those aged 2–17 were living with overweight or obesity (ABS 2023d).No change
1.5 percentage point ↑ (increase)
Target 3: Adults and children (aged 9 years and over) increase their vegetable consumption to an average 5 serves per day by 20304In 2017−18, the average serves of vegetables consumed daily (ABS 2018c, ABS 2018d):
  • Ages 9–11: 2.1
  • Ages 12–13: 2.0
  • Ages 14–17: 2.2
  • Ages 18+: 2.4
In 2022, the average serves of vegetables consumed daily (ABS 2023c, ABS 2023e):
  • Ages 9–11: 1.9
  • Ages 12–13: 2.1
  • Ages 14–17: 2.0
  • Ages 18+: 2.4
Overall no change
N/A
Target 4: Adults and children (aged 9 years and over) increase their fruit consumption to an average 2 serves per day by 20305.In 2017–18, the average serves of fruit consumed daily (ABS 2018c, ABS 2018d):
  • Ages 9–11: 2.2
  • Ages 12–13: 1.9
  • Ages 14–17: 1.9
  • Ages 18+: 1.7
In 2022, the average serves of fruit consumed daily (ABS 2023c, ABS 2023e):
  • Ages 9–11: 2.0
  • Ages 12–13: 1.8
  • Ages 14–17: 1.6
  • Ages 18+: 1.5
Overall regress
N/A
Target 5: Reduce the proportion of children and adults’ total energy intake from discretionary foods from greater than 30% to less than 20% by 20304In 2011−12 across all ages, 35.4% of total energy consumed was from discretionary foods, and highest amongst those aged 14−18 (40.7%) (ABS 2014b).No new data availableStatus not knownN/A
Target 6: Reduce the average population sodium intake by at least 30% by 20306In 2011−12, average daily intake of sodium from food was just over 2,404 mg (ABS 2014a).No new data availableStatus not known N/A
Target 7: Increase the proportion of adults and children who are not exceeding the recommended intake of free sugars by 20304In 2011–12, 52% of Australians aged 2 and over exceeded 10% of dietary energy from free sugars (ABS 2016b). No new data availableStatus not knownN/A
Target 8: At least 50% of babies are exclusively breastfed until around 6 months of age by 2025

Data source: Australian National Infant Feeding Survey 2010		Based on the 2010 Australian National Infant Feeding Survey, in 2010, the proportion who were exclusively breastfed to (AIHW 2010):
  • 3 months of age was 39.2%
  • 5 months of was 15.4%.
No new data availableStatus not known N/A
Target 8: At least 50% of babies are exclusively breastfed until around 6 months of age by 2025

Data source: National Health Survey 2022		Based on the National Health Survey, in 2017–18, the proportion who were exclusively breastfed to (ABS 2019a):
  • 4 months of age was 57.9%
  • 6 months of age was 28.9%.
Based on the National Health Survey, in 2022, the proportion who were exclusively breastfed to (ABS 2023g):
  • 4 months of age was 61.8%
  • 6 months of age was 35.1%.
No change for 4 months
Improving for 6 months
4 months: 3.9 percentage point ↑ (increase)

6 months: 6.2 percentage point ↑ (increase)

See the Interactive dashboard

Notes

  1. Baseline value is the latest year of data that was available for each target at the time the National Preventive Health Strategy (NPHS) 2021–30 and the National Obesity Strategy (NOS) 2022–2032 were developed. Progress is measured against this baseline value, noting that there might be earlier data before the baseline year. Baseline level data for some indicators are also revised throughout the years and may be different to that included in the published strategies. For each target, where possible, a longer-term time trend is presented in the Interactive dashboard.
  2. Latest value is the current latest year of data available to measure progress against the baseline value, as of 12 December 2024.
  3. For interpretation of tracking the progress, see Table 1: Key for tracking against the targets of the National Preventive Health Strategy.
  4. This target from the NPHS also aligns with the objectives and targets of the NOS.
  5. This is a target from the NOS only.
  6. This is a relative reduction/increase target. For more information on the calculated target proportion, see the Technical notes.
     
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