Health of the Nation: New report reveals snapshot of Aussies’ health, lifestyle

A new study has found Australians are at risk of dying young or on a path to chronic illness. But that doesn’t have to be your future.

Unfit and lazy Australians who are addicted to their screens and shunning exercise are at risk of chronic illness and a painful end of life.

A new survey of 3000 Australians paints a bleak picture of our state of health, which if not addressed, could lead to lives plagued by cancer, dementia and diabetes — and even early death.

The Health of The Nation report, by News Corp’s Growth Intelligence Centre, revealed South Australians were country’s the most obese, at 38 per cent, followed by Tasmania and Queensland.

Four in 10 of adults (46 per cent) consume junk food once a week or more, more than half of us sit for more than eight hours or more a day and on average, they spend 34 minutes exercising a day.

Forty per cent of Aussies are junk food addicts, a new study has found.

Only half of all parents (51 per cent) take their children outdoors to play one to three hours a week.

The report revealed a contradiction about how fit and well we think we are – and what the sobering reality is.

Two thirds of us (64 per cent) thought we were in good health but roughly the same number (60 per cent) were also overweight.

Lifestyle change expert and former AMA president (NSW) Dr Kean-Seng Lim said Australians were getting heavier.

“When I started working in my practice about 30 years ago most scales in our practice went up to 130 kilos, within a few years we needed to get 160 kilo scales, now every room has 200 kilo scales and some have 250 kilo scales,” Dr Lim said.

Former NSWAMA president, Dr Kean-Seng Lim, in his practice in Mt Druitt. Picture: John Appleyard Picture: John Appleyard

The lack of exercise and bad eating isn’t just destroying our waistlines – it’s shrinking our brains which is then leading to debilitating neurological conditions, with dementia emerging as our greatest health fear.

Australia’s chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly said exercise and eating well, especially vegetables, were crucial to staying healthy.

“If you want to stay physically and mentally healthy during 2024 and beyond, here is the CMO’s prescription: don’t smoke or vape, drink less alcohol, eat less and mainly vegetables of different colours, get active and find a new hobby which you can do with others,” he said.

Sam Wood is encouraging Aussies to take “baby steps” towards a healthier lifestyle. Picture: Tony Gough

Free health club

Sam Wood, one of Australia’s leading trainers, has teamed up with Health of the Nation to get Australians moving but admitted getting in shape and staying healthy wasn’t always easy.

“If it was easy, 60 to 70 per cent of us wouldn’t be overweight and obese in this country. However, it is simpler and more achievable than perhaps we tell ourselves. We’ve just got to lower the expectations,” Wood said.

Wood has created an eight-week health club you can join for free.

To sign up visit 28bysamwood.com/health-club