Australians: Not enough vegetables, too much weight

Few Australians are eating enough vegetables, and most Australians are overweight.

Diets high in sugar, fat and salt and sugary beverages are a risk factor for multiple health conditions, including obesity. Source: iStockphoto

Those are the findings of a new report on the nation's health from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

It says the effects of a rapidly expanding waistline and a poor diet can be lifelong, with half of Australians suffering from a chronic condition such as diabetes.

But it is not all bad news.

Overweight and with diets overloaded with the wrong types of foods, Australians have received a mixed scorecard in the latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

The Australia's Health report finds Australian men can expect to live to 80.4 years and women to 84.6, putting the country in the top third of OECD* countries.

Heart disease remains the biggest killer for males, and, for females, it is dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Other results are more troubling.

More than 99 per cent of children and 96 per cent of adults are failing to eat the recommended amount of vegetables, while half of Australians are managing a chronic condition such as diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disease.

And almost a quarter of people have two or more conditions.