Australia‘s latest health report card has exposed a stark divide between the nation’s fittest and fattest suburbs.

This year’s index shows persistence of cardiometabolic risk factors and confirms that one in four Australians now suffer from obesity.

According to new data from Wesfarmers Health, suburbs in Sydney‘s leafy North Shore have taken out the crown for the country’s healthiest region, while a vast district of South Australia has been branded the unhealthiest.

The hefty annual report is drawn from 3.6 million health checks from 2.4 million Australians and paints a striking picture of national wellbeing.

Using anonymised data from the free SiSU Health Stations found in Priceline Pharmacies and stores, the Index ranks every electorate by key heart-disease risk factors.

The categories fall under body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, body fat, diabetes risk and smoking.

And for the first time, this year’s findings also capture vaping habits, which have revealed alarming trends among younger Australians.

The affluent Sydney constituency Bradfield – which includes Lindfield, St Ives, Turramurra, Wahroonga and Willoughby – scored a staggering 316, which is nearly triple the national healthy average.

Earlier this year, Bradfield was named the most expensive electorate to buy a home in the nation with a median property price of $2.72 million – that’s 16.5 times the typical household income of $164,877.

At the other end of the scale, South Australia’s Barker electorate, which includes the likes of Murray Bridge, the Barossa and Riverland, has recorded an Index score of just 55, with soaring obesity and diabetes risks.

Experts say the results could reflect lifestyle and access differences between city and country areas. Regional South Australia has long faced limited access to healthcare and preventative services, particularly when it comes to mental health.

In fact, a 97-page report into rural mental health in 2023 found regional South Australia had the lowest number of psychiatrists per person in the country – a shortage that can contribute to untreated stress, poor lifestyle habits and chronic illness over time.

Elsewhere, Wentworth (home to Sydney’s Bondi and Double Bay) boasts the nation’s lowest obesity rate at 11.9 per cent.

Meanwhile Blair, west of Brisbane and home to most of the city of Ipswich, was named the nation’s obesity capital. They also have the highest smoking rate.

The extensive results show fewer people with multiple cardiometabolic risk factors compared with pre-COVID levels, but experts warn the gains are still not ideal.

Wesfarmers Health Managing Director Emily Amos said the results show both progress and cause for concern.

‘The Index highlights both progress and ongoing challenges for Australians’ health,’ she said in a statement.

‘While we’re seeing encouraging improvements in some areas, rising obesity, diabetes risk, and vaping among young people show there’s still more work to do.’

She added that the Index’s unique data set offers a powerful window into where health risks are most concentrated.

‘Using machine-measured health metrics, a geographic lens and the capacity to provide predictive ‘over-the-horizon’ views of cardiometabolic health, the Index offers valuable insight into where in Australia the risks are most concentrated, and where action can make the greatest difference,’ she said.

The findings reveal one in nine adult Australians (12 per cent) lives with an elevated risk of heart disease, while nearly one in six teens now vape every day.

Men are driving much of the nation’s rising obesity rate, with three in ten (3.2 million) affected. And experts predict 872,000 Australians will likely develop type 2 diabetes in the next five years.

Meanwhile, almost three in five Australians (58 per cent) haven’t had their blood pressure tested in the past year – a worrying sign for early detection of heart disease.

But it’s Queenslanders who are officially the country’s biggest puffers, with 13.3 per cent smoking daily and 8.2 per cent vaping – well above the national averages.

Wesfarmers Health pharmacist Amy Jones encouraged Australians to take advantage of free five-minute Health Station checks available nationwide.

‘Knowing your numbers is the first step to preventing serious health conditions,’ she added.

‘A SiSU Health Station check is free, self-service, accessible and takes five minutes – making it quick and easy for Australians to check their blood pressure, weight, diabetes risk and more.’