Australians in their 20s and 30s are gaining weight at an alarming rate, increasing their risk of developing diabetes and heart disease, a study has found.
The trend has renewed calls for a debate on tougher interventions to tackle the obesity epidemic, such as a tax on junk foods and more subsidies for fruit and vegetables.
The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study of 11,000 adults over 12 years found that, on average, people between 25 and 34 stacked on 6.7 kilograms during the period - more than any other age group.
For those between 35 and 44, the average weight gain was 4.7kg, followed by 2.7kg for people 45 to 54 and 0.4kg for those aged 55 to 64.
While people over 65 lost an average of 2.1kg to 4.5kg over the 12 years, researcher and Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute associate director Jonathan Shaw said they were still expanding. The average waist circumference had increased between 0.8 centimetres and 2.7cm over the study period.