More than two thirds of Australians are now overweight or obese, according to new figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

The 2017-18 National Health Survey found that 67 per cent of Australians aged 18 and over are overweight or obese, showing a 4 per cent rise from the 63 per cent rate found in 2014-15. 

“Men were more likely to be overweight or obese than women with 74.5 per cent men overweight or obese compared with 60 per cent of women,” ABS Director of Health Louise Gates said. 

The Survey found that more than a third of Australians were overweight, while 31 per cent were obese. Only a third of Australians were within the healthy weight range, and 1.3 per cent were underweight. 

Ms Gates said that the increase in the proportion of people who were overweight or obese was primarily driven by the rise in the proportion of the population who were obese. 

The obesity levels in Australia showed a continuous rise from 19 per cent in 1995 to 28 per cent in 2014-15, and 31 per cent in 2017-18. 

People aged 18-24 showed the largest increase in overweight or obesity levels as the rate of 39 per cent in 2014-15 spiked up to 46 per cent in 2017-18. 

The study also found that the likelihood of being overweight or obese followed the increase in age, as 46 per cent of people aged 18-24 were overweight or obese, while it was 58 per cent for 25-34 year olds and 69 per cent for 35-44 year olds.