Obesity, diet and physical activity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults

Overweight and obesity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults

In 2022–23, around two-thirds (67.6%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over were living with overweight or obesity, based on their BMI (Body Mass Index). More females (71%) than males (63.9%) were living with overweight or obesity.¹

Trends in overweight and obesity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults

Between 2012–13 and 2022–2023, the prevalence of overweight or obesity increased in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults from 69.2% to 71.5%. This change was driven by an increase in obesity from 39.8% in 2012–13 to 44.4% in 2022–23.²

Measured waist circumference

Waist circumference can be used as an alternative to BMI, as an indicator of an individual’s risk of developing obesity-related chronic diseases. A higher waist measurement is associated with higher body fat levels and an increased risk of chronic disease. In 2022–23, 73.6% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 18 and over had a waist circumference that indicated they were living with abdominal overweight or obesity. The prevalence of abdominal overweight or obesity based on waist measurement increased with age, peaking at 93.8% in women and 82.5% in men aged 55 and over.²

Remoteness areas

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in major cities have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than people living in remote or very remote areas. In 2022–23, 73.1% of people aged 15 and over living in major cities were living with overweight or obesity, compared to 59.9% of people living in very remote areas.²

Intake of core foods

Core foods are foods that provide essential nutrients for good health. The Australian Dietary Guidelines³ identify five core food groups – vegetables and legumes/beans, fruit, grains, lean meats and other lean sources of protein, and dairy products.

Fruit and vegetable intake

In 2022–2023, 94.7% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 and over did not meet the Australian guidelines for recommended daily serves of vegetables, and 64.9% of people did not consume the recommended daily serves of fruit. Most adults (96.4%) did not meet the recommended guidelines for fruit and/or vegetables. This means that only about 4% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults have diets that are consistent with fruit and vegetable recommendations.¹

Similar proportions of people living in non-remote and remote areas did not meet recommended daily consumption for fruit and/or vegetables, but people living in remote areas were more likely to meet the guidelines for fruit.¹

Discretionary food intake

Discretionary foods are high in energy, saturated fat, added sugar or salt, and are usually low in essential nutrients. They commonly include biscuits, confectionery, sweet and savoury pastries, processed meats and sausages, salty snack foods, sugar-sweetened beverages and alcoholic beverages.⁴

Percentage of daily energy intake from discretionary food and drinks

Discretionary food and drink intake in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 18 and over accounted for a little over a third (35.7%) of daily energy in 2023. Younger people aged 18–49 obtained a higher proportion of daily energy from consuming discretionary foods and drinks (36.8%) than people aged 50 years and over (32.8%).⁵

In 2023, in the overall Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population aged 2 and over, females (38.2%) obtained a higher proportion of daily energy from discretionary foods and drinks than males (36.5%), and people living in non-remote areas obtained more of their daily energy from discretionary foods and drinks (38%) than those living in remote areas (33%).⁵

The proportion of energy obtained from discretionary foods and drinks has declined in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population aged 2 and over, from 40.8% in 2012–13 to 37.3% in 2023.⁵

Average intake of free sugars

Free sugars include sugars added to food during processing and preparation, as well as those that occur naturally in fruit and vegetable juices, syrups and honey. Sugars found in unrefined foods, such as whole fruits, vegetables or unflavoured dairy products, are not free sugars.⁶

Consuming too many free sugars is associated with poor diets, tooth decay, overweight and obesity, and an increased risk of chronic diseases like cancer.⁶

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that energy from free sugars should contribute to less than 10% of average daily energy intake. For adults, this is about 12 teaspoons, or 50 grams of free sugar per day.⁶ For even greater health benefits, the WHO recommends limiting daily free sugar intake to less than 25 grams, or about 6 teaspoons.⁷

In 2023, average levels of free sugars consumed by Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander adults aged 18 and over exceeded the WHO recommendation, accounting for 11.5% of daily energy intake. Males and females had similar levels of consumption, and levels declined with age, from 12.4% in younger adults (aged 18–49) to 8.8% in people aged 65 and over.⁵

The proportion of daily energy obtained from free sugars has decreased from 14% in 2012–13 to 11.5% in 2023. The greatest decline has been in younger adults aged 18–29, from 16.1% to 12.4%. Taking people aged 2 and over into account, the consumption of free sugars has declined in non-remote areas (from 14.3% in 2012–13 to 11.9% in 2023) but remains higher than in remote areas (11.0% in 2023).⁵

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are non-alcoholic drinks including soft drinks, fruit drinks, cordials, sports drinks and energy drinks that are sweetened with sugar, rather than artificial sweeteners.⁵

In 2023, almost one in four (38.5%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 18 and over consumed SSBs. The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who drank SSBs declined with age. Adults aged 18–29 (47.9%) were the highest-consuming age group, compared to 25.9% of people aged 50 and over. Taking the population aged 2 and over into account, males (41%) were more likely to drink SSBs than females (38%).⁵

Prevalence of consumption was similar in non-remote and remote areas (39.8% compared to 38.4%).⁵

Consumption of SSBs has declined since 2012–13, when 45.4% of adults aged 18 and over consumed SSBs, compared to 38.5% in 2023. The difference in consumption patterns in younger adults (aged 18–29) is most marked (61.5% in 2012–13, compared with 47.9% in 2023). Consumption of SSBs has dropped across both non-remote and remote areas.⁵

Physical activity

In 2022–23, 20.5% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and 12.7% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women aged 15 and over and living in non-remote areas met the Australian guidelines for physical activity current at the time.¹

Younger people aged 15–24 (19%) were more likely to meet the guidelines than older adults (12%), and males across all age groups were more likely to meet the guidelines than females.¹

Additional national data show that in 2023, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 18 and over who volunteered to wear an accelerometer (which detects changes in speed) spent an average of four hours and 17 minutes a day being active. Of this, three minutes were spent in vigorous activity (such as running). An average of 12 hours and 18 minutes per day were spent inactive, excluding sleeping. Similar patterns of activity were noted for males and females, and for people living in non-remote compared to remote areas.⁵

Sedentary behaviour

Sedentary behaviour (sitting, reclining or lying) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and is increasingly recognised as an important health risk.⁸

In 2022–23, almost two in 10 (19%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 and over said that they did no physical activity. Likelihood of being sedentary increased with age, with 14.4% of 15–24-year-olds reporting doing no physical activity compared with 25.8% of people aged 45 and over.¹

Initial content for this page was written by Melanie Nichols, Deakin University and reviewed by Kathryn Backholer and Gary Sacks, Co-Directors at the Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition at Deakin University. Data updates were made in 2026 by Obesity Evidence Hub staff. For more information about the approach to content on the site please see About | Obesity Evidence Hub.