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  • Queensland adults are overweight and still getting sunburnt

    Author: AAP

Queensland Health's annual report says less than one-in-three adults and two-in-three children had a normal body mass index in 2019/20.

Those are the findings of the state Department of Health's annual report for 2019/20, which was tabled in parliament on Tuesday.

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Less than one-in-three adults had a normal body mass index (BMI) weight range during the year.

Environmental factors such as the proliferation of poor quality food and inactive lifestyles are contributing to the problem.

"Cheap, energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods and drinks are highly marketed and readily available in many of the settings where Queenslanders live, work, learn and play, while work and leisure are largely sedentary," the report said.

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"Given this environmental profile, it is not surprising that only 43 per cent of Queensland adults described their lifestyle as very healthy."

More than two-in-three children had a normal BMI weight range, but less than the department's target of 67.5 per cent.

The report said just over half of Queenslanders were eating the recommended amount of fruit, but only eight per cent were eating their vegetables.

Both percentages still fell slightly below Queensland Health's targets for 2019/20.

Almost 58 per cent of people were exercising, but that was also below the 61.5 per cent target.

Two-in-three men exercised, but only half of women did so.

The report said there had been gradual societal change in relation to attitudes to obesity, but there has still been no reduction.

"Increasing the number of Queenslanders with a healthy weight requires a blend of actions that empower individuals and adjust environments to make it easier for Queenslanders to eat a healthier diet and move more," it said.

Queensland Health says obesity is the second-largest cause of public disease burden after tobacco.

Obesity puts people at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal conditions and some cancers.

The report was slightly more positive for smoking and drinking alcohol.

Just over 11 per cent of adults and under seven per cent of school-aged children are still smoking daily.

"Queensland is increasingly becoming smoke-free," the report said.

"The adult daily smoking rate has halved since 1998 and youth smoking is at its lowest recorded level."

Queensland Health notes the number of adult daily smoker is 445,000, which is still too high.

The proportion of Indigenous smokers remains higher than the general population.

About 38 per cent of Indigenous women smoked after 22 weeks of pregnancy, compared to just seven per cent of pregnant women overall.

"For the improved health and wellbeing of all Queenslanders, the smoke-free cultural change needs to be strengthened and sustained," the report said.

Meanwhile, men are dragging the chain on cutting down their booze intake and avoiding sunburn.

The amount of people drinking alcohol at risky levels is slightly below the government's 21.6 per cent target in 2019/20.

Only one-in-10 women engaged in risky drinking, compared to one-in-three men.

Both men and women failed to slip, slop, slap in the Sunshine State over the year.

About 56 per cent admitted they got sunburnt in previous 12 months, missing the department's 52.7 per cent target.

About half of Queensland women and two-in-three men ended up getting too much sun in 2019/20.

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