Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations University of Queenlsand Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations

Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Welcome to Women's Health Australia (WHA)

 
 


Presentations 2008

Byles J & Brown W. The impact of women's weight on health outcomes: A problem for now and the future.
Canberra, ACT, 01 May 2008

Data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) highlight current trends in weight gain for Australian women. Over the first 12 years of the study there has been an overall increase in the women’s weight, particularly for women in the Younger and Mid-age cohorts. At survey 1 in 1996, Younger women (aged 18-23 years) had the lowest average weight and Body Mass Index (BMI). Trends over the first four surveys, show that the BMI pattern for the Younger women (aged 28 to 33 years in 2007) is fast approaching the pattern seen for the Mid-age cohort at survey 1 (when they were aged 45 to 50 years in 1996). If this rate of weight gain continues, the Younger women will be substantially heavier by the time they reach 45, than the Mid-age cohort were at the same age. The Mid-age women in the study are also experiencing weight gain, although not as rapidly as the Younger women. At survey 1, 46% of Mid-aged women were classified as overweight or obese; at survey 4, 58% of women were in these categories. As obesity levels rise in an ageing population, population health gains seen over the last century could be overturned. Findings from the ALSWH demonstrate the relationship between overweight and obesity and chronic disease, poorer mental and physical health, and higher health care costs. Overweight and obesity contribute significantly to poor health and disability among women in Australia. At a population level, reversing these trends has the potential to have considerable impact on the good health of women as they age, and on health and other care costs.
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Last updated: 9 June 2006 by Cath Chojenta © Copyright