Why Gympie women are the most stressed in Queensland

A new major report has ranked Qld the second most stressed state in Australia, and Gympie the most stressed local council area in Qld

Shelley Strachan

2 min read

February 9, 2021 - 12:00AM

A new health report ranks Gympie as the number one local council area in Queensland for high stress.

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A new major report has ranked Queensland the second highest state in Australia in terms of high smoking and high stress, and Gympie has the highest stress in Queensland

Australia’s’ Health Report - When Healthcare Meets Self-Care, was developed by analysing 755,778 medical-grade health checks over two years at Priceline Pharmacy and Priceline stores.

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It determined that among Queensland council areas, Gympie was in the top ten for high blood pressure and high prevalence of smoking, and, most surprising, was number one for high stress levels.

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The report also found Australian women are more stressed than Australian men across all generations, with 16-24-year-old females experiencing at least double the rates of high stress than any other age group.

Queensland stress levels are the second worst in Australia.

The top ten Queensland local government areas that reported high levels of stress:

1. Gympie (13%)

2. Bundaberg (12.8%)

3. Ipswich (11.3%)

4. Moreton Bay (11.1%)

5. Fraser Coast (10.2%)

6. Redland (10%)

7. Scenic Rim (9.6%)

8. Logan (9.3%)

9. Mareeba (9.2%)

10. South Burnett (9.2%)

One silver lining, Gympie region did not make it into the top ten of Queensland’s fattest local government areas, though our neighbours to the west and north did. Queensland recorded the fourth highest rates of high BMI at 57.4% compared to other states and territories, with higher rates recorded in Tasmania, the ACT and South Australia.

Queensland recorded the fourth highest rates of high BMI at 57.4% compared to other states and territories, with higher rates recorded in Tasmania, the ACT and South Australia.

The top ten local government areas that recorded high rates of high BMI in Queensland:

1. Somerset (73.6%)

2. Rockhampton (69.9%)

3. Isaac (69.9%)

4. Central Highlands (68%)

5. Southern Downs (67.2%)

6. Logan (67.2%)

7. South Burnett (66.9%)

8. Toowoomba (66.5%)

9. Fraser Coast (66.4%)

10. Ipswich (66.2%)

A major new health report has identified Gympie as having the highest stress levels in Queensland.

Queensland recorded the second lowest rate of high blood pressure in Australia and the top ten Queensland local government areas that recorded high levels of high blood pressure:

1. Mareeba (19.2%)

2. Central Highlands (18.9%)

3. Gympie (18.8%)

4. Scenic Rim (17.6%)

5. Mackay (17.5%)

6. Tablelands (17.2%)

7. Noosa (17%)

8. Fraser Coast (16.7%)

9. Southern Downs (16%)

10. Moreton Bay (15.8%).

Gympie has ranked third highest for high blood pressure among Queensland local government areas. Photo Contributed

The data also confirmed two correlations: Australians who are overweight are more likely to have diabetes and Australians with high blood pressure are more likely to have diabetes. Queensland reported the second lowest diabetes rate in Australia.

The top ten Queensland local government areas that reported high prevalence of diabetes were:

1. Scenic Rim (8.1%)

2. Rockhampton (7.9%)

3. Southern Downs (7%)

4. Logan (6.7%)

5. Fraser Coast (6.4%)

6. South Burnett (6.4%)

7. Mackay (6.1%)

8. Mareeba (5.9%)

9. Moreton Bay (5.6%)

10. Somerset (5.5%)