Australia: importance of weight and shape in thoughts about self among population 2021

In the 2021 financial year, approximately one fifth of people aged 16 to 85 living in Australia reported that their weight and/or shape was very or extremely important to them in relation to thoughts about self. Just over one quarter of people responded that their weight and/or shape was not at all important in relation to thoughts about self.

Level of importance of weight/shape in relation to thoughts about self of people in Australia as of financial year 2021

Characteristic	Share of population
Not at all important	27.2%
Slightly important	27%
Moderately important	24.8%
Very important	14.8%
Extremely important	6.1%
Very/Extremely important	21%

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Release date

July 2022

More information

Region

Australia

Survey time period

December 5, 2020 to July 31, 2021

Number of respondents

5,554 households

Age group

16-85 years

Special properties

Australia's financial year runs from July 1 to June 30 of the stated year; for example, financial year 2021 starts on July 1, 2020 and ends on June 30, 2021

Method of interview

Face-to-face interview

Supplementary notes

Binge eating in the survey is defined as a person eating a large amount of food during a short period of time (more than what most people would eat given the circumstances), associated with feeling this eating is out of control (that is, being unable to prevent these eating behaviours or feeling unable to stop). To be considered binge eating, these behaviours must have occurred at least once a week for several months or longer.

A person may have had more than one mental disorder.

Study included all usual residents in Australia living in private dwellings in both urban and rural areas in all states and territories, except very remote parts of Australia and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The exclusion of residents in special dwellings (e.g., hotels, boarding houses, and institutions) and homeless people means the results are likely to underestimate the prevalence of mental health disorders in the Australian population.

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