Australians getting fatter, drinking more, survey shows

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2006

SYDNEY (AFP) — Australians are getting fatter and drinking more, a national health survey showed.

The Bureau of Statistics said 62 percent of men and 45 percent of women fell into the overweight or obese categories, up about 10 percent in the past decade.

But the survey found that only one third of adults considered themselves fat.

The number of Australians who drink dangerous amounts of alcohol was also on the rise, up two percent in the past three years, the bureau said.

Middle-aged Australians were the worst culprits, with 18 percent of men and 13 percent of women aged 55 to 64 drinking at risky levels.

The number of adults who smoke had remained unchanged since 2001, with one in four admitting to the habit, the survey said.

© 2006 AFP