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Health Risk Report
Could a healthier version of yourself be a reality
if you lived elsewhere in Australia?
While there’s a little more to looking after yourself than simply where you live, at iSelect, we were curious to see just how health habits shape up between states, cities, and regional areas. Plus, how these habits link up with long-term health conditions and issues.
Luckily, there was plenty of ABS data to answer our questions. With it, we uncovered which states have the healthiest habits, along with the most common long-term health conditions across each state and suburb.
| State | Health score /100 | Did not exceed Australian alcohol guidelines | Met fruit intake guidelines | Met vegetable intake guidelines | Did not smoke every day | Met physical activity guidelines |
 VIC | 78.63 | 75.7% | 48.3% | 5.7% | 90.7% | 24.5% |
 ACT | 67.24 | 72.6% | 45.6% | 7.3% | 94.1% | 20.2% |
 NSW | 64.66 | 74.8% | 49.5% | 6.2% | 90.0% | 24.3% |
 SA | 58.00 | 70.7% | 45.8% | 7.6% | 90.4% | 24.1% |
 WA | 39.02 | 70.1% | 48.5% | 7.6% | 89.5% | 23.1% |
 TAS | 37.91 | 71.1% | 45.4% | 10.3% | 87.6% | 22.9% |
 NT | 28.97 | 68.9% | 46.1% | 6.0% | 86.5% | 24.5% |
 QLD | 23.92 | 70.6% | 47.3% | 4.6% | 86.0% | 23.5% |
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
What’s your state’s health score?
The Australian states with the healthiest habits
Despite what you might have seen on a late-night tram, Victoria’s residents have the healthiest habits in Australia. They’re the least likely to exceed alcohol guidelines and one of the most likely to meet physical activity guidelines, too. Victoria’s population also has the second-lowest percentage of adults who smoke daily. Perhaps that famous coffee culture is helping give Victorians some extra up-and-go to get to the gym, and an alternative to a wine or beer when they catch up?
The Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales aren’t far behind Victoria, though. The ACT actually has the lowest percentage of daily smokers, while New South Wales leads the way in meeting daily fruit intake.
Despite plenty of fresh air and sunshine around, Queenslanders are at the highest health risk due to some unhealthy habits. For one, Queensland has the highest percentage of daily smokers. The state also has the lowest percentage of people meeting their recommended vegetable intake. It might be time to turn the Big Pineapple into the Big Pumpkin to remind our Queensland kin to grab an extra serve of veg.
Additionally, Queensland ranks in the top three states for drinking more alcohol than advised.
The Australian capital cities with the healthiest habits
In the capital city competition, Sydneysiders lead the way with the healthiest habits, even though New South Wales ranks third overall among the states. Sydney has the lowest percentage of residents who exceed alcohol guidelines. The city also ranks well for fruit intake and physical activity, and is home to a low percentage of daily smokers. Congrats, Sydney!
By contrast, Perth is the only capital city where people are more likely to engage in unhealthy habits than those living in the surrounding region. Perth has a health rating of 42.44, while the rest of Western Australia scores 63.99.1Please refer to methodology Could the higher proportion of FIFO workers in Perth – and the unhealthy habits that commonly accompany the fly in, fly out lifestyle be contributing to WA’s lower score?
Zooming out, in most areas, city dwellers tend to be healthier than their regional neighbours. In non-capital regions, a higher percentage of residents exceed alcohol consumption guidelines (31.8% versus 27.1%) and smoke daily (14.8% versus 9.2%). They also fall behind slightly in meeting fruit intake (46.1% versus 47.3%) and physical activity guidelines (23.4% versus 23.8%).
The one area where non-capital regions do better is vegetable consumption (8.4% versus 6.0%). With more space for backyard gardens, maybe regional Aussies are enjoying the benefits of some homegrown veg. Next step is to add a fruit tree or two – and to beat the possums to any ripe fruit.
| Capital city | Health score /100 | Did not exceed Australian alcohol guidelines | Met fruit intake guidelines | Met vegetable intake guidelines | Did not smoke every day | Met physical activity guidelines |
| Greater Sydney | 78.47 | 79.20% | 48.40% | 5.20% | 91.50% | 24.30% |
| Greater Melbourne | 77.67 | 76.60% | 48.50% | 5.60% | 92.20% | 23.70% |
| Australian Capital Territory | 73.91 | 72.70% | 45.60% | 7.30% | 94.10% | 20.20% |
| Greater Adelaide | 72.81 | 72.10% | 48.00% | 6.20% | 91.00% | 26.10% |
| Greater Hobart | 54.88 | 69.50% | 45.50% | 7.10% | 90.70% | 25.80% |
| Greater Darwin | 51.86 | 71.80% | 46.80% | 5.90% | 89.70% | 23.70% |
| Greater Brisbane | 45.62 | 71.30% | 47.40% | 3.60% | 88.10% | 23.90% |
| Greater Perth | 42.44 | 69.80% | 48.10% | 7.00% | 89.40% | 22.40% |
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
‘This data is a reminder of how important it is to stay on top of our health, no matter where we are. Health insurance plays a crucial role in empowering Australians to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles. From access to preventive screenings and health checks to support for fitness programs and nutritional consultations, health insurance can help individuals make proactive choices that improve their long-term wellbeing.’
Breakdown by health risk factors
Alcohol
| Location | Adults exceeding Australian alcohol guidelines |
| Rest of NT | 40.9% |
| Rest of SA | 35.0% |
| Rest of NSW | 33.7% |
| Greater Hobart | 30.5% |
| Greater Perth | 30.2% |
| Rest of QLD | 29.8% |
| Rest of WA | 29.3% |
| Greater Brisbane | 28.7% |
| Greater Darwin | 28.2% |
| Rest of TAS | 27.9% |
| Greater Adelaide | 27.9% |
| Australian Capital Territory | 27.3% |
| Rest of VIC | 26.3% |
| Greater Melbourne | 23.4% |
| Greater Sydney | 20.8% |
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
Adults exceeding Australian alcohol guidelines
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
Our international reputation means this next statistic isn’t entirely a shock. More than a quarter of Australians (26.8%) drink more than the recommended guidelines. That means they’re either drinking more than 10 standard drinks a week or more than four drinks a day.2Australian Bureau of Statistics – Alcohol consumption
So, where are Aussies taking the tipple the furthest? The Northern Territory has the highest rate of people drinking beyond recommended limits. In non-capital NT, two in five residents exceed recommended limits. And in Greater Hobart, three in ten residents surpass the guidelines, making it the highest rate among Australia’s capital cities.
And which areas are saying no to that second glass? Despite being home to some of the best wine regions in the country, New South Wales and Victoria are the only states below the national average. Getting more into the detail, Regional Victoria, Greater Melbourne, and Greater Sydney also have lower-than-average rates. Conversely, most capital cities and their surrounding regions have higher-than-average rates.
When looking deeper at demographics, men are twice as likely as women to exceed the guidelines – 35.8% of men compared to 18.1% of women go over the limit. And despite successive government attempts to curb young adults drinking, gen Z has the most people drinking more than recommended, with over a third (36.1%) doing so.
Smoking
| Location | Daily smokers |
| Rest of NT | 24.3% |
| Rest of QLD | 15.5% |
| Rest of TAS | 14.4% |
| Rest of VIC | 14.1% |
| Rest of SA | 13.0% |
| Rest of NSW | 12.5% |
| Greater Brisbane | 11.9% |
| Greater Perth | 10.6% |
| Greater Darwin | 10.3% |
| Rest of WA | 9.9% |
| Greater Hobart | 9.3% |
| Greater Adelaide | 9.0% |
| Greater Sydney | 8.5% |
| Greater Melbourne | 7.8% |
| Australian Capital Territory | 5.9% |
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
Adults 18+ who are daily smokers (tobacco, excluding vapes)
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
Even though we’ve all seen the gory pictures and know the facts, one in 10 adults across Australia smoke tobacco daily. FYI: this figure and those that follow relate to just those Australians over 18 years old, and they don’t take into account vaping tobacco.
Greater Brisbane is the only capital city that exceeds the national average. In contrast, Western Australia is the only regional area below the national average.
Staying in the west, a higher percentage of people in Greater Perth smoke daily (10.6%) compared to those in regional areas (9.9%). Interestingly, Western Australia is the only state which shows this trend.
The Northern Territory shows the largest gap between its city and regional areas for smoking daily. Nearly a quarter of adults in Regional NT areas smoke daily, whereas only 10.3% in Greater Darwin do.
The research also found that men are more likely to smoke than women (12.6% versus 8.7%). People aged 55 to 64 are the most likely to be daily smokers, with 14.9% of this age group smoking daily. This could indicate that early interventions, like school education, might be having an impact.
Finally, those facing greater disadvantages are most likely to smoke daily, while those with fewer disadvantages are less likely to do so.
Physical Activity
| Location | People aged 15+ who met physical activity guidelines |
| Rest of WA | 26.8% |
| Greater Adelaide | 26.1% |
| Rest of VIC | 26.1% |
| Rest of NT | 26.0% |
| Greater Hobart | 25.8% |
| Rest of NSW | 24.4% |
| Greater Sydney | 24.3% |
| Greater Brisbane | 23.9% |
| Greater Darwin | 23.7% |
| Greater Melbourne | 23.7% |
| Rest of QLD | 23.1% |
| Greater Perth | 22.4% |
| Australian Capital Territory | 20.2% |
| Rest of TAS | 20.0% |
| Rest of SA | 17.3% |
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
People aged 15+ who met physical activity guidelines
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
While we all know finding the motivation to get moving can be hard, only 23.9% of Australians aged 15 to 64 meet physical activity guidelines. That means more than three-quarters of people aren’t getting enough physical activity – despite what they might claim around the work coffee machine. Adults should aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week to stay healthy. Teens aged 15 to 17 should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily, while those 65 and older should aim for 30 minutes most days.3Australian Bureau of Statistics – Physical activity
Regional South Australia had the lowest proportion of the population meeting the guidelines, at 17.3%. The state also showed the largest variation between the capital city and the regional areas, with 26.1% of Greater Adelaide meeting the guidelines.
Once Australians reach adulthood, physical activity levels tend to decline with age. Given the demands of being a grown-up – work, kids, chores – this isn’t entirely unexpected. This also tracks when you consider that 18 to 24 year olds are the most active, with 31.3% meeting the guidelines, and 55 to 64 year olds are the least, with only 16.1% meeting them. Maybe a shakeup in the household labour needs to occur, or older Australians need a gen Z gym buddy.
Men are also more likely than women to engage in physical activity regularly, with participation rates of 26.4% compared to 21.4%. So, is it time for physical activity date nights?
Fruit intake
| Location | Met fruit intake guidelines |
| Rest of NSW | 51.7% |
| Rest of WA | 50.1% |
| Greater Melbourne | 48.5% |
| Greater Sydney | 48.4% |
| Greater Perth | 48.1% |
| Greater Adelaide | 48.0% |
| Rest of VIC | 47.4% |
| Greater Brisbane | 47.4% |
| Rest of QLD | 47.0% |
| Greater Darwin | 46.8% |
| Australian Capital Territory | 45.6% |
| Rest of TAS | 45.6% |
| Greater Hobart | 45.5% |
| Rest of NT | 43.1% |
| Rest of SA | 37.6% |
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
Australians who met fruit intake guidelines
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
Australia might be home to no fewer than three Big Oranges and two Big Pineapples, yet less than half of Australians (48.1%) eat the recommended two servings a day of fruit. To put it in perspective an apple, a cup of diced fruit or a banana all equal one serving. Slightly more people in capital cities met their daily fruit intake compared to those in regional areas (47.3% versus 46.1%). South Australia had the largest gap, with a 10.4% difference between Greater Adelaide (48.0%) and the rest of the state (37.6%). In both New South Wales and Western Australia, regional areas slightly outperformed their capital cities in meeting the fruit consumption guidelines.
Looking further at demographic factors, women are more likely than men to meet the daily fruit recommendations.4Australian Bureau of Statistics – Dietary behaviour
As people get older, they’re more likely to meet these recommendations, with those over 75 being the most compliant. If you’re looking to up your fruit intake, a CWA-approved fruitcake could be a delicious place to start.
Vegetable intake
| Location | Met vegetable intake guidelines |
| Rest of TAS | 12.8% |
| Rest of SA | 12.2% |
| Rest of WA | 10.2% |
| Rest of NSW | 7.7% |
| Australian Capital Territory | 7.3% |
| Greater Hobart | 7.1% |
| Greater Perth | 7.0% |
| Rest of VIC | 6.4% |
| Greater Adelaide | 6.2% |
| Greater Darwin | 5.9% |
| Greater Melbourne | 5.6% |
| Rest of QLD | 5.2% |
| Greater Sydney | 5.2% |
| Rest of NT | 4.5% |
| Greater Brisbane | 3.6% |
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
Australians who met vegetable intake guidelines
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
Sure, our fruit-eating habits are missing the mark, but what about when it comes to veggies? Well, 94% of Aussies are not meeting their recommended vegetable intake. Keep in mind a serving of veggies is as simple as half a cup of cooked broccoli, lentils or carrots, or half a medium potato. Men should aim for six servings of vegetables a day until they’re 70, while women should aim for five. Right now, just 3.3% of men hit the target compared to 8.9% of women.
Intriguingly though, vegetable consumption is one of the few subjects where regional areas outperform capital cities. On average, 8.4% of people in regional areas meet their veggie targets compared to 6.0% in capital cities. Perhaps more space in regional areas increases the likelihood of growing your own veggies?
The Northern Territory is the only exception, with 5.9% in Greater Darwin and only 4.5% in the rest of NT. Regional Tasmania and South Australia lead the way, with residents twice as likely to meet their veggie intake compared to other areas, even though they score lower in other health categories. Are Aussies more likely to eat their veggies if the temperature is below 35 degrees? No one wants a Sunday roast while they’re roasting, after all.
Young adults aged 18 to 24 are the least likely to meet their daily recommended vegetable intake, with just 3% meeting the recommendation. And, just like with eating fruit, those aged 75 and over are the most likely to meet the guidelines, with 11.8%. of this age group doing so.
The prevalence of long-term health conditions across Australia
| Location | No long-term health conditions |
| Rest of TAS | 53.1% |
| Rest of SA | 53.1% |
| Rest of NSW | 53.6% |
| Rest of VIC | 53.7% |
| Greater Hobart | 56.8% |
| Rest of QLD | 56.9% |
| Rest of WA | 56.9% |
| Greater Adelaide | 59.3% |
| Greater Brisbane | 59.7% |
| Australian Capital Territory | 61.0% |
| Greater Perth | 62.4% |
| Greater Melbourne | 63.4% |
| Greater Darwin | 64.5% |
| Rest of NT | 65.0% |
| Greater Sydney | 65.1% |
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
% Adults without a long term health condition
Source: ABS – National Health Survey 2022
Concerningly, two in five Australians live with a long-term health condition. The most common long-term health issues reported in Australia are mental health conditions, affecting 8.8% of the population. This was followed closely by arthritis, affecting 8.5% of the population, and asthma, affecting 8.1%. These conditions were generally the three most prevalent across all states, though the order varied.
The least common conditions are dementia (0.7%), kidney disease (0.9%), and stroke (0.9%). They were the least prevalent across all states, in varying order.
‘The iSelect Health Risk Report reveals interesting correlations between lifestyle habits and long-term health conditions across Australia. Areas with higher smoking rates, excessive alcohol consumption, poorer dietary choices, and lower levels of physical activity are more likely to report higher rates of chronic mental and physical health conditions. From a medical perspective, this aligns with existing evidence that lifestyle factors and social determinants play a crucial role in helping prevent conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental health conditions and respiratory illnesses.’
Long-term health conditions by state
How does your state and suburb measure up?
The interactive maps below show how common different long-term health conditions are across all Australian states, plus their suburbs. All you need to do is pick the condition you’d like to see data for, and hover over any area on the maps to learn more.
New South Wales
Around a third of Greater Sydney residents (34.9%) live with a long-term health condition. This is the lowest proportion of people in all capital cities and regional areas. Meanwhile, 46.4% of people in the rest of New South Wales have a long-term health condition. This 11.5% difference is the largest disparity in the country and likely due to a wide range of factors including financial disadvantage, less access to medical care and more physical labour. So, are Sydneysiders moving regionally once they need to take a break from the pace of one of the nation’s busiest places?
The most common long-term health conditions in New South Wales are arthritis (8.4%), mental health conditions (8%), and asthma (7.8%).
Victoria
In Victoria, most long-term health conditions, except asthma, are at or below the national average. Our findings show that Victoria has the highest health rating in the country.5Please refer to methodology Perhaps healthy habits really could help tip the scales for fewer long-term health issues.
Mental health concerns are the most common in Victoria, affecting 8.8% of the population. Asthma follows closely at 8.4%, while arthritis impacts 8% of residents.
Queensland
In Queensland, mental health issues (9.6%), arthritis (8.8%), and asthma (8.5%) are the most common long-term health conditions. Queensland’s rates of long-term health conditions are higher than or equal to the national rate, except for diabetes, which is 0.2% lower than the national rate. According to our research, Queensland also has the lowest health rating,6Please refer to methodology so the higher numbers here make sense.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory has the lowest rate of people with long-term health conditions, at 35.6%. This is likely due to the Northern Territory’s younger population, with a median age of just 33. Conversely, Tasmania has a much higher median age – 42 – and it’s also the state with the highest proportion of people living with long-term health issues.7Australian Bureau of Statistics – Long-term health conditions
In the Northern Territory, the most common health issues are asthma (5.6%), mental health conditions (5.1%), and arthritis (4.5%). These figures are significantly lower than the national averages. The Northern Territory also has the lowest percentage of people affected by eight of the 10 major long-term health conditions analysed.
Western Australia
In Western Australia, the most common long-term health issues are mental health conditions (8.3%), arthritis (7.6%), and asthma (7.3%).
Western Australia has the lowest kidney disease rate in the country. Only 0.8% of its population is affected, slightly below the national average of 0.9%.
South Australia
In Regional South Australia, 46.9% of the population lives with a long-term health condition – one of the highest rates in the country. Arthritis is the most common condition, affecting 10.1% of people, followed by mental health conditions, at 9.8%, and asthma, at 8.9%.
Unfortunately, South Australia also has the highest percentages of residents living with dementia (1%), diabetes (5.7%), and heart disease (4.6%).
Australian Capital Territory
In the Australian Capital Territory, the most common long-term health issues are mental health conditions (10%), asthma (9%), and arthritis (7.7%). On the other hand, the ACT has the lowest diabetes rate among all states; only 3.9% of its residents experience the condition, compared to 4.7% nationwide.
Tasmania
Concerningly, Tasmania has the highest percentage of residents facing long-term health conditions, at 45.3%. Looking beyond the cities, Tasmania’s regional rate is also among the highest of its kind, with 46.9% of people living with a long-term health issue.
Arthritis is the most common health condition in Tasmania, affecting 12.2% of the population – well above the national rate of 8.5%.. Mental health issues are the second most common, and Tasmania again has the highest rate in Australia, this time at 11.5%. Finally, asthma ranks third, affecting 9.4% of the population, which is once more the highest rate of all the states.
Tasmania also has the highest rates of cancer (3.4%), kidney disease (1.1%), lung conditions (2.5%), and strokes (1.2%) in the country.
Wrapping up
Of course, location is just one part of the healthy living equation. You can have affordable fresh fruit and vegetables to buy, and plenty of nearby green spaces to move your body in, but still miss the bar on healthy habits.
Our findings do suggest, though, that healthier habits could be the way forward for achieving fewer long-term health issues. Eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and fruit, participating in regular physical activity, reducing alcohol use, and quitting smoking could change your future.
But looking after yourself doesn’t have to end there. With appropriate health insurance, you can access preventive care, like dentists and physios, along with timely treatments if you do find yourself feeling less than your best.
It’s all part of helping you live a happy, healthy life.
About the data
This report uses data obtained from the 2022 National Health Survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to analyse five key health risk factors and identify which cities and regions fare best when it comes to their level of risk and contribution to Australia’s burden of disease.
The five health factors are:
- Smoking – proportion of adults (18+) who are current daily smokers (tobacco), not including vaping or teens. The recommendation is to stop all types of smoking.
- Alcohol consumption – proportion of adults who exceeded the level of consumption based on the Australian alcohol guidelines. I.e. not more than 10 standard drinks per week, and not more than 4 standard drinks in any one day to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol. The less you drink, the lower your risk of harm.
- Vegetable consumption – proportion who met the National Health and Medical Research Council’s dietary guidelines for vegetable consumption. Includes older children, adolescents and adults, 5-6 serves of vegetables per day (approx. 75g per serve) is recommended.
- Fruit consumption – proportion who met the National Health and Medical Research Council’s dietary guidelines for fruit consumption. Includes older children, adolescents and adults 2 serves of fruit per day (approx. 150g per serve) is recommended.
- Physical activity – proportion of 15+ year olds who met the activity level recommended in the Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. This varies per age group. For children and adolescents aged 5-17 (in our data only ages 15-17 were included), at least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous activity involving mainly aerobic activities per day. Vigorous activities should be incorporated at least 3 days per week. Several hours of light activities per day. At least 3 days per week of strength training. Minimise and break up long periods of sitting. No more than 2 hours per days of recreational screen time. For Adults (18 – 64 years) this is to be active on most (preferably all) days of the week, to a weekly total of 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week or 75 to 150 minutes of intense physical activity per week or a combination of both, plus at least 2 sessions of resistance training, and minimise and break up long periods of sitting.
The risk factors were given a percentage ranking for comparison across states or cities and regions, which were then assigned a weight based on the relative attributable disability-adjusted life years (DALY) across the five factors – defined as the measure of healthy life lost (in years) or the total disease burden as outlined by the 2018 Australian Burden of Disease Study by Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The weighted rankings were then used to calculate the overall health risk rating out of 100.
The National Health Survey was also used to identify contrasts and variability in the five health risk factors by sex, age and level of disadvantage.
Finally, this report uses data from the 2021 ABS Census to compare and rank the most prevalent long-term health conditions in each suburb, city or state, grouped into 11 main categories including mental health conditions, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.
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- 2.Australian Bureau of Statistics – Alcohol consumption
- 3.Australian Bureau of Statistics – Physical activity
- 4.Australian Bureau of Statistics – Dietary behaviour
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- 7.Australian Bureau of Statistics – Long-term health conditions