Statistics show Aussie health in bad shape

CANBERRA - Australians are getting fatter, drinking at dangerous levels and living alone in greater numbers.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) quarterly snapshot of society, released yesterday, suggests the population is not as physically and emotionally well as it could be.

According to the figures, binge drinking is still a major community health problem.

Overall, levels of risky drinking among Australians have remained steady at about 11 to 13 per cent in the three years to 2007-08, with one in seven men and one in nine women boozing in a dangerous manner.

The nation's other great vice, food, led to 37 per cent of all adults being classified as overweight in 2007-08, and another quarter are obese.

While men were statistically heavier than women in these categories, females were more likely to be morbidly obese than males.

A quarter of all children aged between 5 and 17 were overweight or obese in 2007-08, up four percentage points from 1995 levels.

The number of gastric reduction surgeries rose 800 per cent over the last decade with 13,600 bariatric procedures, such as gastric banding and other gastric reduction surgeries, in 2008 alone.

ABS spokeswoman Sue Taylor said it was a mixed report card for Australians' health and well-being.

"One of the big concerns coming out of our health statistics is obesity," she said.

"We've seen really big increases there, literally and metaphorically, over the last 13 years.

More Australians also find themselves living alone. Two decades ago 9 per cent of people lived alone, compared with the 12 per cent, or two million, now.

The ABS expects that figure to grow, estimating 16 per cent of Australians will be living alone by 2029.

"While most people value some time on their own, the issue is that people who spend a lot of time alone own may become socially isolated," said Ms Taylor.

Sole home occupants are statistically more likely to have a mental disorder or experience high levels of emotional distress.

The outlook is not totally bleak though. The Australian Social Trends data reveals smoking rates are falling.

Young people are kicking or avoiding the habit, with only 23 per cent of 18-24-year-olds smoking, compared with 36 per cent in 1990.

The number of Australian smokers has declined overall by 24 per cent in the same period.

- AAP