Men are losing the battle when it comes to obesity

The latest figures on Australia’s obesity crisis are a sobering reality check on how grim the situation is.

AUSTRALIA’S battle of the bulge rages on, with the number of people who are overweight or obese continuing to rise, according to latest data.

Australian Bureau of Statistic figures show men are struggling more, with three-quarters (74.5 per cent) now overweight or obese compared with 60 per cent of women.

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The 2017-18 National Health Survey found two-thirds, or 67 per cent, of Australians 18 and over were overweight or obese. It’s up from 63 per cent three years ago and 56 per cent in 1995.

Slightly over a third of all Australians were overweight and 31 per cent were obese. About another third were within the healthy weight range and 1.3 per cent were underweight.

Australians living in regional and remote parts of Australia were also more likely to be overweight or obese than those in major cities.

And the likelihood of packing on the pounds increases with age, the data revealed.

Generic view of the mid-section of an overweight man, sitting on a park bench with takeaway fried chicken food box. Stomach.

The survey also found that men were twice as likely as women to consume soft drinks daily – 12 per cent of men, to 6 per cent of women.

ABS Director of Health Statistics Louise Gates said 44 per cent of men and 28 per cent of women usually consumed sugar sweetened drinks at least once a week.

“On average, men who are daily consumers drink 3.3 cups of sugar sweetened drinks which is equivalent to 825ml or 2.2 cans of soft drink, approximately 19 teaspoons of sugar or 1401 kJ,” Ms Gates said.

“The equivalent for women who were daily consumers was 2.5 cups which is equivalent to 625ml, 1.7 cans of soft drink or approximately 14 teaspoons of sugar or 1061kJ.”

The number of adults eating their fruit and vegetables has remained “relatively consistent” over time with only one in 20 adults meeting both the fruit and the vegetable recommendations.

One in 17 children aged two to 17 years met the guidelines for serves of both fruit and vegetables.

When it comes to physical exercise only a small number of Aussies are meeting recommended guidelines.

A shocking 1.9 per cent of 15 to 17-year-olds, 15 per cent of 18-64 year olds and 17.2 per cent of 65 year olds and over were meeting the 2014 Physical Activity Guidelines in 2017-18.

Overall Australians aged 15 years and over exercised 42 minutes a day on average.

Walking was the most common form of exercise.