In 2018, physical inactivity accounted for 2.5% of the total disease burden in Australia.
These estimates reflect the amount of disease burden that could have been avoided if all people in Australia were sufficiently physically active (see ABDS 2018 Risk factor estimates data table).
Physical inactivity was causally linked to the burden from type 2 diabetes, bowel cancer, dementia, coronary heart disease and stroke, as well as uterine and breast cancer in females.
How much burden was attributable to physical inactivity?
In 2018, physical inactivity was responsible for 20% of the total disease burden due to type 2 diabetes, 17% of the uterine cancer burden, 16% of coronary heart disease burden, 12% of dementia burden, 12% due to bowel cancer, 9% of stroke burden and 3% of breast cancer.