Healthy Lifestyles and Physical health

Daily intake of fruit and vegetables is used as a proxy measure of the quality of a diet in Australia and internationally. According to the 2022 Hume Community Survey just over half of adults (54.0%) meet the recommended intake of two serves of fruit or more per day and around one in twenty (5.5%) meet the recommended intake of five or more servings of vegetables per day. Findings from the 2024 Hume Community Food Survey found that three in ten adults (30.2%) find it difficult to eat a healthy diet. Although one in three adults (34.4%) admit that there is nothing that prevents them from eating healthy at home, just over two in five (44.6%) cite the cost of healthy food as their biggest barrier. This is coupled with one in five (20.7%) feeling that limited income or other living expenses makes it difficult for them to eat healthy.

Findings from the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey show that close to half (45.5%) of Hume City adults consume sugar-sweetened beverages daily or several times per week. This is significantly higher than the one third of adults (34.4%) reported across Victoria.

According to the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey, 13.3% of adults in Hume City report experiencing food insecurity in the past year (i.e. they ran out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more). This finding is significantly higher than the Victorian figure of 8.0%. Almost one in six Hume adults (15.9%) are worried about running out of money to buy food, again significantly higher than the Victorian rate of 9.7%.

As found in the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey, almost three in ten adults in Hume City (28.0%) undertake 30 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day at least five times a week (this could include sport, exercise, and brisk walking or cycling for recreation or to get to and from places but does not include housework or physical activity that may be part of someone’s job). This is significantly lower than the over one third of adults (35.1%) across Victoria reporting undertaking these levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity. One in five adults (21.5%) in Hume City report not doing any moderate to vigorous physical activity, higher than the 16.8% reported across Victoria. Although moderate to vigorous physical activity levels in Hume City adults are lower than compared to Victoria, this does not equate to significantly higher levels of sedentary behaviour (ie. sitting for eight or more hours per day). Under one in four Hume City adults (24.3%) report sitting for eight or more hours per day on an average weekday, less than the 27.9% reported across Victoria.

Research conducted by the Physical Activity and Sport Insights (PASI) Research group examined participation rates in ten major sports across Victorian local government areas during 2019-2021. These included Australian rules football, basketball, cricket, soccer, gymnastics, hockey, netball, sailing, swimming, and tennis. The study found that across Hume City in 2019 around one in ten persons (9.7 player registrations per 100 residents) participated in one of these ten major sports. This declined to a rate of 8.2 in 2021. This declining trend was not specific to Hume City but was seen across many Council areas in Victoria. As at 2021, Hume City ranked the fifth lowest in terms of participation rate across all Victorian local government areas, with Melton, Melbourne, Brimbank and Greater Dandenong having lower participation rates. These rankings applied across all persons, and for both male and female participation rates. Sport participation rates amongst males is significantly higher than for females, with a rate more than twice as high in 2021 (11.4 versus 4.9 player registrations per 100 residents).

Hume City sports participation rates across ten major sports (player registrations per 100 residents)

The tobacco smoking rate is significantly higher in Hume City compared to Victoria. Findings from the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey indicate that almost one in four adults in Hume City smoke tobacco or vape (24.3%), compared to less than one in five adults across Victoria (18.5%). Around one in seven adults in Hume City smoke tobacco on a daily basis (14.2%), significantly more than the one in ten across Victoria (10.0%). Around one in twenty adults in Hume City vape on a daily basis (5.2%) versus 4.5% in Victoria.

Perinatal data shows that Hume City has higher rates of women who gave birth who smoked tobacco during their pregnancy (8.2%) in comparison to Greater Melbourne (6.0%) and Victoria (7.5%). This is the sixth highest rate across metropolitan local government areas.

Data from the 2018 Victorian Student Health and Wellbeing Survey, which surveyed students in years 5, 8 and 11, found that around one in twelve students (8.7%) in the Hume–Merri-Bek region have, at some time, smoked a cigarette, slightly higher than compared to the metropolitan Melbourne average of 7.0%.

Proportion of adults who smoke and/or vape in 2023

Alcohol consumption in Hume City is significantly lower than compared to Victoria. Findings from the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey show that more than one in three adults in Hume City (36.3%) do not drink any alcohol, compared to 21.2% reported for Victoria. Hume City has significantly lower percentages of adults at risk from alcohol-related harm in Victoria. Adults at a reduced risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury in Hume is 55.4% (versus 64.4% for Victoria), and adults at increased risk of harm is 7.6% (versus 13.1% for Victoria).

Alcohol consumption and risk of harm in 2023

Alcohol and Drug Related Ambulance Attendances

Alcohol and drug statistics for 2022/23 compiled by Turning Point shows that the highest rate of ambulance attendances per 100,000 population in Hume City are for alcohol intoxication, followed by illicit drugs and pharmaceutical drugs. Specific drugs with the highest rates of ambulance attendances per 100,000 population include cannabis, amphetamines (includes crystal meth), benzodiazepines and GHB. Persons aged 65+ years have the highest rates of ambulance attendances related to alcohol intoxication, and Hume has higher rates per 100,000 population within this age group when compared to both metropolitan Melbourne and Victoria. Ambulance attendance rates related to drugs, both illicit drugs and pharmaceutical drugs, are highest amongst those aged 20-24 years. For the 20-24 age group, Hume City has higher rates of ambulance attendances, compared to metropolitan Melbourne and/or Victoria for both illicit drugs and pharmaceutical drugs (in particular cannabis, amphetamines (any), benzodiazepines, crystal meth and inhalants).

Alcohol and drug related ambulance attendances per 100,000 population, Hume City 2022/23

Alcohol and drug related ambulance attendances per 100,000 population for persons aged 20-24 years, 2022/23

Alcohol and Drug Related Hospital Admissions

As with ambulance attendances, alcohol and drug statistics for 2021/22 compiled by Turning Point shows that the highest rate of hospital admissions per 100,000 population in Hume City are for alcohol intoxication, followed by illicit drugs and pharmaceutical drugs. Specific drugs with the highest rates of hospital admissions per 100,000 population include cannabis, amphetamines (meth), opioids, analgesics and GHB. Persons aged 65+ years have the highest rates of hospital admissions related to alcohol. Hospital admission rates related to illicit drugs, are highest for those aged 20-24 years and 25-34 years, while for pharmaceutical drugs, admission rates are highest amongst the 20-24 and 35-44 year age groups.

Alcohol and drug related hospital admissions per 100,000 population, Hume City 2022/23

Data from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission shows that during the 2023-24 financial year, just over $138 million dollars was lost on electronic gaming machines in Hume City, the fourth highest expenditure in Victoria. Hume City currently has fourteen venues across the municipality with a total of 833 electronic gaming machines. In the previous 2022-23 financial year, just over $139 million dollars was lost on EGMs in Hume City, which equates to a loss of $713 per adult, the fifth highest loss across metropolitan Melbourne local government areas. Hume City has around 4.3 pokies per 1000 adults in comparison to 4.8 per 1000 adults across Victoria.

Three out of four (73.4%) children aged up to 3.5 years enrolled in the Maternal and Child Health service in Hume City, participated in the service during 2023-24. This is slightly below the 78.1% average across all Victorian local government areas.

Childhood immunisation rates are marginally lower in Hume City compared to Victoria. As of June 2025, 93.1% of children in Hume City were fully immunised at five years of age, compared to 94.7% across Victoria.

In Hume City, around one in fourteen (6.9%) people require assistance with daily activities due to a long-term health condition, disability, or older age, compared to 5.5% in Greater Melbourne. This places Hume as the third highest in terms of need for daily assistance among metropolitan local government areas. Areas in Hume City with the highest rates of need for assistance include Coolaroo, Campbellfield, Meadow Heights and Dallas, where more than one in ten people require assistance.

In comparison to other Melbourne Metropolitan Council areas, Hume City has the highest proportion of residents aged 0-64 years and fourth highest proportion of residents aged 65 years or older who identified as requiring a need for assistance with core activities. Hume City contains six of the top fifteen suburbs in Greater Melbourne (with populations over 500), that have the highest proportions of residents aged 0-64 years requiring a need for assistance with core activities. These suburbs are Coolaroo, Meadow Heights, Dallas, Campbellfield, Roxburgh Park and Broadmeadows. For children under 15 years, 3.6% across Hume City require assistance with daily activities. Areas in Hume with the highest need for assistance among children under 15 years include Sunbury and Coolaroo.

For persons aged 15 years and over, around one in eight (12.8%) in Hume City provide unpaid assistance to a person with a disability, long-term illness or older age, similar to that for Greater Melbourne (12.6%).

Need for assistance by age in 2021

During 2022-23 approximately nine in ten people (91%) across Hume City had a Medicare-subsidised GP attendance. This is higher than compared to the 85% across the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network. Females had higher participation rates (95%) compared to males (88%).

Findings from the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey have found that, over the last 12 months, close to one in four persons (23.4%) in Hume City experienced a time when they, or a member of their household, did not go to see a General Practitioner (GP) when they needed to. This is higher than the 19.5% observed across Victoria. Close to half of people (48.1%) were not able to access a GP when they needed to because they could not get an appointment (higher than the 35.5% seen for Victoria). Less than one in five (17.2%) could not see a GP when needed mainly due to cost, lower when compared to Victoria at 22.9%. More than two in five persons in Hume City (42.6%) felt that they waited longer than was acceptable to get an appointment with a GP, significantly higher than 33.0% reported for Victoria.

Participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program amongst 50-74 year olds is lower in Hume City than compared to Greater Melbourne and Victoria. During 2020 and 2021 the bowel cancer screening participation rate in Hume City was 38.8%, compared to 43.9% for Victoria and 42.9% for Greater Melbourne. It was the sixth lowest rate across the state. Cervical screening participation during 2018 to 2020 amongst females aged 25-74 years was also lower in Hume (43.3%) than compared to Victoria (47.4%) and Greater Melbourne (48.1%). This trend is also similar for breast screening participation. During 2018 and 2019 the participation rate amongst females aged 50-74 years in Hume City was 49.3%, versus 53.9% for Victoria and 52.7% for Greater Melbourne.

Findings from the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey, show that less than one in three Hume City adults (31.8%) self-report their health as being excellent or very good. This is significantly lower than the two in five adults (39.8%) reported across Victoria. One in four Hume City adults (24.0%) report their health as fair or poor, compared to 20.9% across Victoria.

As reported through the 2021 ABS Census, more than a quarter of Hume’s residents (27.4%) report living with a long-term health condition, slightly lower than the Greater Melbourne average of 29.5%. The most prevalent conditions in Hume include asthma, mental health conditions (including depression or anxiety), arthritis, and diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes). Almost half of Hume’s 45+ year old residents report living with a long-term health condition (49.8%), higher compared to 46.9% for Greater Melbourne. The most prevalent conditions in this age group include arthritis, diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes), mental health conditions (including depression or anxiety), asthma and heart disease (including heart attack or angina), with Hume having a significantly higher proportion of 45+ year old residents reporting diabetes compared to Greater Melbourne.

Long-term health conditions, all persons in 2023

Long-term health conditions, persons aged 45+ years in 2023

According to the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey, just over three in five (61.3%) Hume City adults are considered overweight or obese (have a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2,) significantly higher than Victoria at 54.4%. Just over one in three of Hume’s adults are considered to be overweight but not obese (Hume City 37.7% compared to Victoria 31.4%), while just under one quarter are considered to be obese (Hume City 23.6% compared to Victoria 23.0%).

Data for 2014-2018 from the Australian Cancer Database shows that Hume City has a higher rate of cancer per 100,000 population amongst males in comparison to Greater Melbourne and a slightly lower rate for females. The most prevalent cancers amongst males are prostate, colorectal and lung cancer, while for females the most prevalent cancers are breast, lung and colorectal cancer. In comparison to Greater Melbourne, Hume has higher rates per 100,000 population amongst males, particularly for lung, bladder, colorectal and stomach cancer. Amongst females, Hume has higher rates per 100,000 population in comparison to Greater Melbourne particularly for lung, uterine and thyroid cancer.

Cancer rates per 100,000 population (age-standardised rate) 2014-2018

Prevalence data from the National Diabetes Services Scheme shows that 7.16% of males and 6.46% of females in Hume City have diabetes. Both are higher in comparison to Victoria where 5.95% of males and 5.16% of females have diabetes. Hume has the third highest prevalence rates of diabetes across all Greater Melbourne local government areas. 

As reported in the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey, just over one third (35.4%) of Hume City adults report their dental health as excellent or very good, compared to 38.4% across Victoria. More than one quarter (26.4%) of Hume City adults report their dental health as fair or poor, higher (although not statistically significant) in comparison to Victoria at 22.5%. Over one in five adults in Hume City (22.9%) report having gum disease compared to 20.3% for Victoria. Avoiding or delaying visiting a dental professional because of cost, is slightly more common amongst Hume City adults (35.5%) than for those across Victoria (32.3%).

Parent reporting through the School Entrant Health Questionnaire (SEHQ) as children begin primary school shows that Hume City consistently has lower rates of children entering their first year of primary school having visited a dentist in the previous 12 months.

Prep children reported to have been seen by a dentist in the past year

The top principal diagnoses for public hospital admissions for Hume City residents in 2020/21 were ‘digestive system diseases’, ‘injury, poisoning and other external causes’, and ‘circulatory system diseases. Hume City had higher rates of admissions per 100,000 persons in comparison to Greater Melbourne for almost all principal diagnosis types. The top three ‘injury, poisoning and other external causes’ hospital admissions were due to: ‘injury or poisoning’, ‘falls’, and ‘injury due to a thrown or falling object’, with Hume having higher admission rates than Greater Melbourne.

In comparison to other metropolitan local government areas, Hume City’s public hospital admission rates per 100,000 persons ranked in the top two for the following conditions:

• endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
• ischaemic heart disease
• digestive system diseases
• genitourinary system diseases
• respiratory system diseases
• diabetes
• ear and mastoid process diseases
• asthma

Public hospital admissions, top ten principal diagnoses, rate per 100,000 persons, 2020/21

Hume City has higher public hospital admission rates per 100,000 persons for potentially preventable conditions in comparison to Greater Melbourne across all age groups and has the highest ranking amongst metropolitan local government areas for the 0-14 year old age group.

The top three potentially preventable hospital admissions for chronic conditions for Hume City residents in 2020/21 were iron deficiency anaemia, diabetes complications, and congestive cardiac failure. Hume City had higher admission rates than Greater Melbourne across all chronic conditions, and was ranked in the top two amongst metropolitan local government areas for asthma, iron deficiency anaemia, and diabetes complications.

The top three potentially preventable hospital admissions for acute conditions for Hume City residents in 2020/21 were urinary tract infections, convulsions and epilepsy, and cellulitis. Hume City had higher admission rates than Greater Melbourne across all acute conditions and was ranked third amongst metropolitan local government areas for dental conditions.

Public hospital admissions for potentially preventable conditions by age group, rate per 100,000 persons, 2020/21

Public hospital admissions for potentially preventable chronic conditions, rate per 100,000 persons, 2020/21

Public hospital admissions for potentially preventable acute conditions, rate per 100,000 persons, 2020/21