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Australians are living longer but lifestyle-related chronic diseases are taking an increasing toll, the latest national health report card revealed on Wednesday.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report said Australians were living 25 years longer on average than a century ago, with men expecting to live to 79.9 years, and women to 84.
However chronic diseases linked to smoking, physical inactivity, poor nutrition and the harmful use of alcohol are the leading cause of illness and death, accounting for 90 percent of all fatalities.
AIHW Director and CEO David Kalisch said in a media release that damaging lifestyle behaviors lead to obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, which in turn can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and mental health issues.
The report found that more than three in five adults are overweight or obese, nearly three in five do not exercise enough, and only 8 percent of adults were eating enough vegetables.
Among young adults, almost one in two were at risk from harm drinking alcohol each month.
The most common long-term health conditions afflicting older Australians 65 and over are arthritis, high blood pressure and hearing loss.
The report found that most Australians rate themselves highly in the health stakes.
About 85 percent of people aged 15 and over considered themselves to be in good to excellent health, while an estimated 76 percent of people aged 65 and over were happy with their physical condition.
Smoking rates continue to fall with 16 percent admitting to smoking daily in 2010 compared to 43 percent in 1964. The proportion of students aged 12-15 who had never smoked rose from 53 percent in 2001 to 77 percent in 2011.
There was also a 20 percent fall in heart attack rates between 2007 and 2011, and stroke event rates fell 25 percent between 1997 and 2009.
Kalisch said changes in health behaviors can reduce the impact of chronic diseases.
"The World Health Organization estimates that, worldwide, up to 80 percent of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and up to one-third of cancers, could be prevented by eliminating smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol, " he said.
