Weight overtakes smokes

Being overweight has overtaken smoking as the leading risk factor contributing to disease in Australia, prompting calls for more funding for GP support.


The Australian Burden of Disease Study 2024 found around 8.3% of the total disease burden in the country was due to being overweight or obese, compared to 7.6% for tobacco use, 4.8% linked to dietary risks and 4.4% linked to high blood pressure.

The study measures more than 200 diseases and injuries to determine the millions of years of healthy life Australian’s lose each year.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare spokesperson Michelle Gourley said Australian’s lost an estimated 5.8 million years of healthy life due to living with disease and dying prematurely this year.

“Over one-third of the total burden of disease and injury in Australia in 2024 could have been avoided or reduced,” she said.

“Overweight, including obesity, overtook tobacco use as the leading risk factor in 2024, driven by a substantial fall (41%) in the age-standardised rate of total burden attributable to tobacco use since 2003.

“This fall is likely due to declines in smoking prevalence and burden rates from some of the major linked diseases, such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).”

When looking at overall rates of total disease burden, there was a 10% decrease between 2003 and 2024 after adjusting for population ageing.

Alcohol use and illicit drug use were the leading risk factors for young males aged 15–24, while child abuse and neglect was the leading risk factor for young females of the same age.

In line with previous years, cancer was the leading group of diseases causing burden in 2024 accounting for 16.4%, with 91.3% of this burden fatal and 8.7% non-fatal.

The leading specific causes of disease burden were coronary heart disease (5.5%), dementia (4.5%), back pain and problems (4.3%), anxiety disorders (3.9%) and COPD (3.7%).

Overall males experienced more total disease burden than females across all age groups, driven by males having higher rates of fatal burden.

Ms Gourley added: “While Australians are living longer on average, years lived in ill health are also growing, resulting in little change in the proportion of life spent in full health.

“This contributes to the growing demand and pressures on the health system and services.”

The RACGP said the study signalled a clear need to invest in affordable specialist GP care for Australians.

The college reiterated its calls for the Federal Government to increase patients’ Medicare rebates, including for longer consultations which it says are crucial to help patients manage chronic conditions like obesity.

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said GPs are the first line of defence in preventing illness and helping people manage their health, including risk factors like smoking, poor diet, alcohol and physical inactivity.

“With the right funding and investment in general practice, we can make sure Australians are not just living longer but are spending more of their years in good health,” he said.