Welsh Health Survey, 2011: Initial Headline Results

These statistics on the health and health-related lifestyle of people living in Wales are based on data from the Welsh Health Survey 2011. The release contains some initial headline results. The main report of the survey will include more detailed information and will be published in September.

Illnesses:

• 20% of adults reported currently being treated for high blood pressure, 14% for a respiratory illness, 12% for arthritis, 11% for a mental illness, 9% for a heart condition, and 7% for diabetes.
• 34% of adults reported that their day-to-day activities were limited because of a health problem/disability, including 16% who were limited a lot.
• Rates of illnesses have generally changed fairly slowly over the eight years of the survey, however there has been a slight increase in adults reporting being treated for high blood pressure, mental illness and diabetes, and a slight decrease for heart conditions and arthritis.

Health-related lifestyle:

• 23% of adults reported that they currently smoked.
• 43% of adults reported drinking above the guidelines on at least one day in the past week, including 27% who reported drinking more than twice the daily guidelines (sometimes termed binge drinking). However, people do not necessarily drink at these levels regularly.
• 33% of adults reported eating five or more portions of fruit and vegetables the previous day.
• 29% of adults reported doing at least 30 minutes of at least moderate intensity physical activity on five or more days in the previous week.
• 57% of adults were classified as overweight or obese, including 22% obese.
• There has been a slight decrease in smoking rates and a slight increase in levels of obesity over the eight years of the survey. There has been little change in physical activity during this time.

Health of children:

• 95% of children were reported to have very good or good general health.
• 18% of children were reported as having a long-standing illness, including 5% with a limiting long-standing illness.
• 35% of children were estimated to be overweight or obese, including 19% obese , although estimates will vary depending on the definition used.
• Five years of data is available for children, commencing in 2007. There has been little change in children’s reported health or levels of overweight / obesity during this time.

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 6710
E-mail: stats.healthinfo@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next update

September 2012 (provisional - to be confirmed on the 'Due Out Soon' page)