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Trends: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

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

Last updated 28-11-2023

A higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children live with obesity, compared to non-Indigenous children. Few Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children meet dietary recommendations for intake of healthy foods, while physical activity varies across non-remote and remote areas.

Key Evidence

01

Almost one quarter of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were living with overweight (24.3%), and a further 13.6% with obesity in 2018–19

02

Rates of both overweight and obesity were slightly higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls than boys in 2018–19

03

42.1% of total daily energy intake for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys aged 4 to 8 years was from discretionary foods in 2012–13

04

63.9% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys in non-remote areas aged 5 to 8 years met physical activity guidelines in 2012–13

Overweight and obesity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children by age and sex

In 2018–19, more than one in three (37.9%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 2–17 years were either living with overweight (24.3%) or obesity (13.6%). Overall, the prevalence of both overweight and obesity were slightly higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls than boys.1

Overweight and obesity by age and sex

Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4715.0 - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, Australia, 2018-19.

Overweight Obesity

Diet

Few Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children met dietary recommendations for intake of fruits and vegetables in 2018–19 and a quarter of teenagers consumed sugar-sweetened beverages daily. Figures from 2011–13 show that a high percentage of daily energy intake was from discretionary food.3

Fruit and vegetable consumption by serve and age group

In 2018–19, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s usual daily consumption of fruit and vegetables varied by age group.1

Fruit consumption by serve and age group

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2020). National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, Australia, 2018–19. Canberra, Australia.
National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend a minimum number of serves of fruit and vegetables each day, depending on a person's age and sex, to ensure good nutrition and health.

Age Does not eat Less than 1 serve 1 serve 2 serves 3 serves 4 serves 5+ serves
2–3 years 2.4 4.7 28.2 31.8 18.4 7.9 6.6
4–8 years 1.4 6.2 23.1 33.6 22.3 9.1 4.2
9–11 years 2.4 4.4 31.5 33.3 18.7 8.1 2.6
12–13 years 1.7 8.9 33.5 33.0 15.1 4.7 3.6
14–17 years 7.0 12.1 31.1 27.5 16.5 3.3 2.9

Vegetable consumption by serve and age group

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2020). National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, Australia, 2018–19. Canberra, Australia.
National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend a minimum number of serves of fruit and vegetables each day, depending on a person's age and sex, to ensure good nutrition and health.

Vegetables Does not eat Less than 1 serve 1 serve 2 serves 3 serves 4 serves 5+ serves
2–3 years 9.2 10.8 38.7 19.2 12.4 8.2 5.0
4–8 years 6.7 13.1 38.8 22.6 11.0 5.7 2.4
9–11 years 4.3 11.3 28.7 30.7 13.0 8.9 3.9
12–13 years 2.0 12.8 36.3 26.8 13.7 6.4 4.2
14–17 years 3.3 12.4 29.7 29.6 13.8 6.1 5.6

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by age group

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2020). 4715.0 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, Australia, 2018–19. Canberra, Australia. Table 17.3

Note: Includes soft drink, cordials, sports drinks and caffeinated energy drinks.

2–3 years 4–8 years 9–11 years 12–13 years 14–17 years

Percentage of total daily energy intake from discretionary food

Discretionary food makes a greater contribution to the total energy intake of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, compared to non-Indigenous children.4 Discretionary foods are high in energy but low in nutrients, and are not needed to meet nutrient requirements.

Percentage of total daily energy intake from discretionary food

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Nutrition across the life stages. Canberra, Australia 2018. Supplementary table S17. Data is for 2011-13.

Note: The Australian Dietary Guidelines Summary lists examples of discretionary choices as including: most sweet biscuits, cakes, desserts and pastries; processed meats and sausages; ice-cream; confectionery and chocolate; savoury pastries and pies; commercial burgers; commercially fried foods; potato chips, crisps and other fatty and/or salty snack foods; cream, butter and spreads which are high in saturated fats; sugar sweetened soft drinks and cordials, sports and energy drinks.

Indigenous Non-indigenous

Proportion of energy from added sugars

Intake of added sugars was higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children than non-Indigenous children in 2011–13.4 Added sugars are sugars added to foods by manufacturers or consumers, and those naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices. The World Health Organization recommends limiting energy from free sugars to less than 10% of daily energy intake.5 Note that the WHO recommendation relates to ‘free sugars’, which is a broader category including those naturally present, and total intakes of free sugars are likely to be higher than implied by the ‘added sugar’ data provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Proportion of energy from added sugars

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Nutrition across the life stages, Canberra, Australia, 2018, Supplementary table 20. Data is for 2011-13.

Indigenous Non-indigenous

Physical activity

Physical activity in non-remote areas

Almost half (47.7%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 5–17 years living in non-remote areas met the recommendation of 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day in 2012–13, compared to about one-third (35.4%) of non-Indigenous children.6

Physical activity in non-remote areas

Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4727.0.55.004 - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Physical Activity, 2012-13. 2014. Table 9.3.

The physical activity recommendation for children 5-17 years is 60 minutes or more per day.

Met recommendation Indigenous Met recommendation Non-indigenous

Physical activity in remote areas

In remote areas, 81.7% of children aged 5–17 years did more than the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity on the day prior to interview in 2012–13, 14.2% did less than 60 minutes and 4.1% did no physical activity.6

Physical activity in remote areas

Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4727.0.55.004 - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Physical Activity, 2012-13. 2014. Table 18.3.

Less than 60 minutes More than 60 minutes Did no physical activity

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. For more information about the approach to content on the site please see About | Obesity Evidence Hub.

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, Australia, 2018–19. . 2020; Available from: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/.
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4715.0 - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, Australia, 2018-19. Table 19.3
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Updated Results, 2012–13. 2014; Available from: https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4727.0.55.006.
4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Nutrition across the life stages. Canberra, Australia 2018. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports
5. World Health Organization. Sugars intake for adults and children: guideline. Geneva, Switzerland 2015. https://www.who.int/nutrition/
6. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4727.0.55.006 - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Updated Results, 2012–13. 2014. Table 8.3. http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/