Overweight and obesity in Australia: the 1999-2000 Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab).
OBJECTIVE
To measure the prevalence of obesity in Australian adults and to examine the associations of obesity with socioeconomic and lifestyle factors.


METHODS
AusDiab, a cross-sectional study conducted between May 1999 and December 2000, involved participants from 42 randomly selected districts throughout Australia.


METHODS
Of 20,347 eligible people aged > or = 25 years who completed a household interview, 11,247 attended the physical examination at local survey sites (response rate, 55%).


METHODS
Overweight and obesity defined by body mass index (BMI; kg/m(2)) and waist circumference (cm); sociodemographic factors (including smoking, physical activity and television viewing time).


RESULTS
The prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI > or = 25.0 kg/m(2); waist circumference > 80.0 cm [women] or > or = 94.0 cm [men]) in both sexes was almost 60%, defined by either BMI or waist circumference. The prevalence of obesity was 2.5 times higher than in 1980. Using waist circumference, the prevalence of obesity was higher in women than men (34.1% v 26.8%; P < 0.01). Lower educational status, higher television viewing time and lower physical activity time were each strongly associated with obesity, with television viewing time showing a stronger relationship than physical activity time.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of obesity in Australia has more than doubled in the past 20 years. Strong positive associations between obesity and each of television viewing time and lower physical activity time confirm the influence of sedentary lifestyles on obesity, and underline the potential benefits of reducing sedentary behaviour, as well as increasing physical activity, to curb the obesity epidemic.
Cameron
Adrian J
AJ
Department of Epidemiology, International Diabetes Institute, 250 Kooyong Road, Caulfield, VIC 3162. acameron@idi.org.au
Welborn
Timothy A
TA
Zimmet
Paul Z
PZ
Dunstan
David W
DW
Owen
Neville
N
Salmon
Jo
J
Dalton
Marita
M
Jolley
Damien
D
Shaw
Jonathan E
JE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors