Physically active
64.8%
+17.3pp since 2002
Overweight or obese
61.4%
+15.5pp since 2002
High/very high distress
19.1%
+6.1pp since 2002
Smoking rate
10.5%
-12.0pp since 2002
Trend analysis
Physical activity levels
Overweight and obesity
Psychological distress levels
Smoking rates (daily or occasional)
Deeper analysis
2002 vs 2024 comparison
Activity vs obesity correlation
Distress breakdown (2024)
All indicators — normalised overview
Key insights
Summary findings
- Physical activity meeting guidelines rose from 47.5% (2002) to 64.8% (2024), a 17pp gain reflecting sustained behaviour change across NSW adults over two decades.
- Overweight or obesity prevalence climbed from 45.9% to 61.4%, with obesity alone nearly doubling from 14.7% to 26.5%, indicating a growing weight-related health burden.
- High/very high psychological distress more than doubled from 13.0% to 19.1%, with a sharp acceleration post-2015 signalling a worsening mental health landscape.
- Smoking rates nearly halved from 22.5% to 10.5%, reflecting the success of NSW public health policy and cessation programmes over the 22-year period.
Data: NSW Population Health Survey (SAPHaRI). Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health. Updated May 2025.
Source: healthstats.nsw.gov.au — Physical activity · Overweight & obesity · Psychological distress · Smoking rates.