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Which Australian state/territory has the highest proportion of 18-24 year olds within the normal weight range? Obesity and being overweight is a serious health problem in Australia, which is classified as one of the fattest nations in the developed world. The phenomenon has been described as an 'epidemic' because of how quickly Australian waistlines have expanded and thereby increased the chance and frequency of weight-related illnesses, such as disease and diabetes. Having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25.00 and above is classified as overweight by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This FACT indicates the proportion of people within a normal weight range between the ages of 18-24 (BMI of 24.99 and under).
According to statistics for the years 2014 to 2015, the state with the highest proportion of 18-24 year olds who weigh within the normal range is South Australia at 66.8 percent.