Indigenous, poor and disabled children are much more likely to be overweight or obese than the broader population.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found children and adolescents living in the poorest parts of the country are more than twice as likely to be obese compared to those in the richest areas.
One in four Australians aged between two and 17 are overweight, while one in 12 are obese.
And while overall obesity rates have remained stable over the past 10 years, this is not the case among some population groups.
Obesity rates among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have increased from about three in 10 to almost four in 10.
The study also found obesity generally increased with age, with younger children most likely to fluctuate between weight categories.
The institute has also released a report shedding light on obesity rates among different generations.
It found for most age groups, those born more recently were more likely to be overweight or obese than people born 10 years earlier.
Obesity also generally increased with most birth cohorts as they aged.
Australian Associated Press
