Smoking and drinking in retreat in Australia but weighty problems persist

The percentage of daily smokers inAustralia has declined from 18.9, recorded in a 2007-08 survey, to 16.3, recorded in a similar survey conducted in 2011-12, according to an Agence France Presse story relayed by the TMA.

The results of the 2011-12 Australian Health Survey of 33,500 people were released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

During the same period, the percentage of adults who are obese or overweight has increased to 63.4 from 61.2.

ABS statistician, Paul Jelfs, said the survey found that 70.3 per cent of men and 56.2 per cent of women were losing what he called the “battle of the bulge,” while 25 per cent of children were also classified as overweight.

According to the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development),Australiaranks fifth among advanced nations in obesity, after theUS,Mexico,New ZealandandChile.

Jelfs said the proportion of Australian adults consuming more than two standard drinks daily had dropped 1.4 percentage points in four years, but was still relatively high at 19.5 per cent.