Australia – Health of Young People
How Healthy Are Australia’s Young People, Really?
Behind the sunny lifestyle is a generation juggling screen time, climate anxiety, vaping, exam stress, and big dreams.
Mental health & injuries = top burdens
Overweight & obesity now a major risk
Lowest smoking ever, but vaping is surging
Who Are Australia’s Young People?
At the end of June 2023, about 3.3 million people aged 15–24 lived in Australia — roughly 13% of the population.
Just over half are male, and most live in major cities, especially along the eastern seaboard. A bit over one in five young people were born overseas,
and about one in twenty identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, adding enormous cultural and linguistic diversity to Australian classrooms and campuses.
as their top concerns. They’re not just worried about today’s homework — they’re thinking about bushfires, racism, housing, and whether the future will be fair.
The Health Status of Young Australians
Mental Health: The Quiet Emergency
For young Australians, mental health is now the biggest single health issue. National surveys show that roughly
a quarter of 16–24-year-olds have experienced high or very high psychological distress in recent years — feelings of intense anxiety, sadness,
agitation or hopelessness that make everyday life hard to manage.
The burden of disease data show that for 15–24-year-olds:
- Anxiety and depressive disorders are leading causes of overall health loss for young women.
- Suicide and self-inflicted injuries are the leading specific cause of health loss for young men.
- Eating disorders, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorders and asthma also feature strongly.
Suicide is the leading cause of death among Australians aged 15–24. Injury deaths (including road trauma and accidental poisoning)
account for most deaths in this age group — but intentional self-harm is now responsible for about half of those injury deaths.
Earlier survey work among 12–17-year-olds found that around one in seven met criteria for a mental disorder within the previous year,
with anxiety the most common. More recent modelling and service-use data suggest that rates have since risen, especially after COVID-19 disruptions,
housing stress, and social media-driven comparison culture.
Chronic Conditions in a “Young” Body
Chronic conditions are not just for older adults. In fact, self-reported data show:
- About 77% of 15–24-year-olds report at least one long-term condition.
- The most common are short-sightedness (myopia), allergies/hay fever, and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
- Asthma remains one of the top physical chronic conditions for this age group.
Many of these conditions are manageable with the right care, but they often collide with exam periods, part-time jobs, nightlife, and sport —
which can amplify stress, absenteeism and risk-taking.
Disability and Participation
Around one in ten young Australians live with disability, and a smaller but significant group report severe or profound limitations in daily activities
like self-care, mobility or communication. Many face barriers in school, TAFE, university and employment — from inaccessible campuses and transport
to stigma, patchy support services and long waits for assessments.
When schools and employers get inclusion right (accessible classrooms, assistive tech, flexible assessments, supportive peers),
disability is not the barrier — the environment is.
Injuries: Sport, Streets and Screens
Each year tens of thousands of young Australians are hospitalised for injuries. The big categories include:
- Contact with objects — from sports collisions and workplace mishaps to DIY accidents.
- Transport accidents — cars, motorbikes, e-scooters and bicycles.
- Other unintentional causes — falls, poisonings, and misadventures.
Behind the numbers are stories of broken bones, concussions, long rehab, and disrupted schooling — but also missed chances to talk about risk,
consent, alcohol, speed, helmets, and safe partying.
Risk Factors: From Obesity to Vaping
Overweight & Obesity: A Growing Wave
Measured height and weight data show that around one in four 15–17-year-olds and about 4 in 10 18–24-year-olds
in Australia live with overweight or obesity. More recent modelling suggests that roughly a third of Australians aged 5–24 were already overweight
or obese in 2021 — and that, without major changes, one in two children could be overweight or obese by 2050.
That projection would place Australia near the top of high-income countries for youth obesity — ahead of Canada and the UK, and in a similar league
to the US and parts of Latin America and the Pacific. At the same time, other countries like Japan still have much lower childhood obesity rates,
although they are also rising.
The drivers are familiar: cheap ultra-processed foods, sugary drinks everywhere, long hours sitting in class and on devices, car-dependent suburbs,
and heavy marketing of fast food and energy drinks. Most of these drivers are environmental and commercial, not “bad choices” by young people.
What Young People Say About Food & Movement
When Australian teens are asked what gets in the way of being healthy, they often mention:
- Fast food being cheaper and easier than fresh meals.
- Feeling unsafe or unwelcome using local parks or sports clubs.
- Homework, shift work and social media eating up time for sleep and exercise.
- Body-image pressure that makes PE or swimming feel embarrassing.
Any real solution has to meet them where they are: phones in hand, budgets tight, but energy and creativity to spare.
Alcohol, Tobacco, Vaping & Drugs
There is good news: Australian teenagers are drinking less alcohol and smoking less traditional tobacco than previous generations.
Many 15–17-year-olds report never having had a full serve of alcohol, and daily smoking in this age group is now very low.
But the story doesn’t end there.
- Vaping has exploded. Among 14–17-year-olds, ever-use of e-cigarettes has more than doubled in just a few years.
Young adults 18–24 are now the most likely age group in Australia to vape regularly. - Daily smoking is now concentrated in more disadvantaged communities, compounding health gaps for rural and low-income youth.
- Illicit drug use is relatively stable among young men but has increased among young women,
especially for cannabis and some party drugs.
Many teens say they first tried vaping or alcohol not to “be bad”, but to cope with anxiety, feel less awkward in social settings,
or keep up with friends. That means mental health and social connection are prevention tools — not just school assemblies and warning posters.
Sexual & Reproductive Health
Australian secondary school surveys show that by ages 14–18, a majority of students report some form of sexual experience.
Most say they discussed having sex, pleasure, and condoms with their partners, and three-quarters report having a condom available —
but only about half actually used a condom at their most recent sexual encounter.
Many students say they want sexuality and relationships education (RSE) to be more relevant to real life: consent in the age of DMs and nudes,
porn literacy, LGBTQIA+ relationships, pleasure, break-ups, and social pressure — not just “how not to get pregnant”.
Care, Protection & What’s Working
Mental Health Services & Telehealth
Young Australians use mental health services more than any other age group. People aged 12–24 account for nearly a quarter of all people
receiving Medicare-subsidised mental health services in a given year, with 18–24-year-olds most likely to see a GP, psychologist or counsellor.
Young women are more likely than young men to seek help.
Telehealth has made it easier for many students, apprentices and rural young people to see a GP or psychologist from home or on campus,
especially since the pandemic. But long waitlists, out-of-pocket costs, and gaps for regional, Indigenous and culturally diverse communities remain.
Immunisation: A Public-Health Win
Australia continues to perform strongly on adolescent immunisation:
- High coverage of HPV vaccination in both boys and girls helps prevent cervical and other cancers later in life.
- Most adolescents receive boosters for diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, and many receive meningococcal vaccines via school programs.
This is an area where Australia often outperforms countries like the US and UK, where coverage can be more uneven across states and regions.
Patient Experiences
About half of 15–24-year-olds see a dental professional in a given year, around half receive a prescription medication,
and roughly seven in ten see a GP. Use of after-hours GP care is lower but stable.
Telehealth is now a standard part of care: around a quarter of young women report using it in the past year, compared with a smaller proportion of young men.
How Do Australian Young People Compare Globally?
United States
United Kingdom
Canada
China
Japan
South Africa
New Zealand
Obesity & Lifestyle
| Country | Youth Weight Story (Big Picture) |
|---|---|
| Australia | Among the higher youth obesity rates in the world’s rich countries. Around a quarter to a third of children and adolescents live with overweight or obesity, and projections suggest nearly half could be overweight or obese by 2050 if nothing changes. |
| United States | Similar or higher rates than Australia. Over a third of US children and teens are overweight or obese, with strong links to poverty, racial inequities, food deserts, and aggressive fast-food marketing. |
| United Kingdom | High child obesity rates, especially in deprived areas. Sugar-drink taxes and school-food reforms are in place, but inequalities and marketing exposures remain major challenges. |
| Canada | Child overweight and obesity rates similar to Australia, with big differences by province, income and Indigenous status. Cold winters and car-based suburbs add to sedentary time. |
| China | Rapidly rising rates: in a single generation, childhood overweight and obesity have gone from rare to common, especially in cities. Long school days, cram schools and screen time compete with play and sport. |
| Japan | Still one of the lowest childhood obesity rates among high-income countries, helped by school lunches and active travel, but facing rising mental health and exam-stress issues, and a worrying youth suicide rate. |
| South Africa | A “double burden”: some children face under-nutrition and stunting, while others — especially in cities — already have obesity rates around one in five. High sugary drink intake and marketing, plus unsafe public spaces, play a role. |
| New Zealand | One of the highest adult obesity rates in the OECD and significant child obesity too (about one in ten children obese), with large inequities affecting Māori and Pacific communities. Similar lifestyle patterns and challenges to Australia. |
Mental Health & Suicide
When it comes to mental health, Australian youth look worryingly similar to their peers in other high-income countries:
- Australia: Around a quarter of 16–24-year-olds report high psychological distress, and suicide is the leading cause of death for 15–24-year-olds.
- United States: National surveys show about 4 in 10 high-school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and about one in five have seriously considered suicide.
- United Kingdom: Around one in five children and young people in England have a probable mental disorder, and more recent data suggest levels may be even higher among 16–24-year-olds.
- Canada: Indicators of poor youth mental health have risen, with mental health now a leading cause of hospitalisation among 5–24-year-olds.
- Japan: Youth suicide rates remain among the highest in the OECD for 15–24-year-olds, despite relatively low obesity and strong academic performance.
- South Africa & other middle-income countries: Data are patchier, but studies highlight a heavy, intersecting burden of violence, HIV, unemployment, and rising depression and anxiety among youth.
but facing a global “syndemic” of climate anxiety, social inequality, ultra-processed food, social media pressure, and housing stress.
10 Moves for a Healthier Generation of Aussie Kids & Teens
The good news? We already know many of the solutions. They just have to move from pilot projects and policy papers into everyday life.
At Home & In Families
- Make the kitchen the heart of the house. Simple home-cooked meals, water instead of soft drink, and involving teens in shopping and cooking builds skills, not just full stomachs.
- Protect sleep like a superpower. Set tech-off times, keep devices out of bedrooms at night, and talk openly about how sleep affects mood, focus and skin.
- Talk about feelings before crises. Everyday check-ins (“How’s your brain today, out of 10?”) make it easier to ask for help when things get rough.
In Schools & Universities
- Make belonging a health intervention. Clubs, cultural groups, sport, music, and strong relationships with teachers protect against depression and self-harm.
- Re-imagined PE. Focus on fun, lifelong movement — dance, skate, yoga, walking challenges — not just elite sport or humiliation in the cross-country race.
- Real-world wellbeing curriculum. Consent, porn literacy, digital wellbeing, climate anxiety, money stress, and how to navigate break-ups and friendship drama.
In Communities & Government
- Design neighbourhoods around kids, not cars. Safe bike lanes, lit walking paths, and free or low-cost sports programs in every suburb.
- Clamp down on junk-food and vape marketing to teens. Especially near schools, online, and on public transport.
- Fund youth-friendly mental health services properly. Shorter wait times, culturally safe care, and services co-designed with young people themselves.
- Listen to young people as partners, not problems. Put them on councils, advisory boards and research teams shaping climate, housing and health policy.
If we want healthier adults in 20 years’ time, the most powerful investments we can make today are
safe homes, strong relationships, good food, green spaces, fair schools, and youth-friendly health care.
Pills and hospital beds will always matter — but prevention, dignity and opportunity matter more.