Tasmania has highest rates of smoking, obesity and hypertension in the country

New research shows Tasmanians are leading the nation, ranking the highest in the country for daily smokers, high blood pressure, and obesity. Check out how it stacks up against the nation.

New research shows Tasmanians are leading the nation, ranking the highest in the country for daily smokers, high blood pressure, and obesity – causing health experts to become increasingly alarmed with the pressure this places on the state’s already overstretched healthcare system. Picture: iStock

New research shows Tasmanians are leading the nation, ranking the highest in the country for daily smokers, high blood pressure, and obesity – causing health experts to become increasingly alarmed with the pressure this places on the state’s already overstretched healthcare system.

The concerning statistics come from Wesfarmers Health: Australia’s Health Index, finding obesity and hypertension as some of Tasmania’s most pressing public health issues, with more than one in four (or 26 per cent) of Australians classified as having obesity and 29 per cent with high blood pressure.

Australian Medical Association Tasmania president Dr Michael Lumsden Steel said the findings highlight the need for a collaborative approach to address these critical health challenges.

Doctor Michael Lumsden Steel President of the AMA Tasmania branch. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“The first thing to note is that I don’t think this study actually shows any significant change to what we previously are aware of – we know that Tasmania is, unfortunately, leading the nation when it has come to obesity, smoking rates, and high blood pressure and we know we’ve also had challenges with diabetes too,” Dr Lumsden Steel said.

“But what it does show is the need for federal and state governments to work together and focus on how we can help target preventive health measures and help improve health literacy.”

Dr Lumsden Steel said smoking, high blood pressure, and obesity are major risk factors for a range of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.

Yet, many Tasmanians remain undiagnosed, increasing the burden on the healthcare system and leading to avoidable healthcare costs and loss of life quality.

“People will make their own choices, but we need to encourage people to make the right choices by removing the barriers to them accessing care,” he said.

“In Tasmania, we address this by training more medical students, encouraging our junior doctors to stay in the state, and improving the Medicare rebate.”

Dr Lumsden Steel said regular health checks with a GP were crucial for identifying risk factors like high blood pressure before they escalate.

“People need to know that the most important part of your healthcare is seeing your family doctor,” he said.

“We need people to be able to see their GP who can get them on a pathway to get active, to drop their weight, to manage their diabetes, as well as obviously smoking cessation.”

Originally published as Tasmania has highest rates of smoking, obesity and hypertension in the country