Maternal weight

​​​ On this page

  1. Overview
  2. Maternal BMI categories by local health district of residence, NSW 2022
  3. Downloads
  4. Notes
  5. Related links

Overview

In 2022, 52.8% of mothers who gave birth in NSW were in the healthy weight range, 27.3% were overweight and 17.1% were obese. In 2022, the percentage of mothers who gave birth in NSW that were overweight or obese varied from 27.7% in Northern Sydney Local Health District to 55.2% in Far West Local Health District.

Maternal BMI categories by local health district of residence, NSW 20221

By number of births

Local Health District UnderweightHealthy weightOverweightObeseOverweig​ht or obese
Total2
Sydney1853854145564521006139
South Western Sydney295547837062606631212085
South Eastern Sydney2865535187579026658486
Illawarra Shoalhaven1052147113268818204072
Western Sydney335646138392381622013016
Nepean Blue Mountains921844134797023174253
Northern Sydney2875157152855520837527
Central Coast93160389259814903186
Hunter New England22142192699213948389278
Northern NSW12613845343648982408
Mid North Coast6310245283278551942
Southern NSW366734312797101419
Murrumbidgee3493868049111712143
Western NSW90141096475117153215
Far West775​​4952101183
Other–not stated355882651183831006
Total 22904239021924137543567880358

By percentage of births

Local Health District UnderweightHealthy weightOverweightObeseOverweight or obeseTotal2
Sydney3.062.823.710.534.2100.0
South Western Sydney2.445.330.721.652.2100.0
South Eastern Sydney3.465.222.19.331.4100.0
Illawarra Shoalhaven2.652.727.816.944.7100.0
Western Sydney2.649.629.518.347.8100.0
Nepean Blue Mountains2.243.431.722.854.5100.0
Northern Sydney3.868.520.37.427.7100.0
Central Coast2.950.328.0
18.846.8100.0
Hunter New England2.445.529.123.152.1100.0
Northern NSW5.257.522.215.137.3100.0
Mid North Coast3.252.727.216.844.0100.0
Southern NSW2.547.430.419.750.0100.0
Murrumbidgee1.643.831.722.954.6100.0
Western NSW2.843.930.023.453.3100.0
Far West3.841.026.828.455.2100.0
Other–not stated​​3.558.426.411.738.1100.0
Total 2.852.827.317.144.4100.0

Downloads

Maternal BMI categories by local health district of residence, NSW 2022

Notes

Source: NSW Perinatal Data Collection (SAPHaRI). Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health.

  1. Mothers who gave birth in NSW who were under the age of 18 were assigned BMI categories using age-specific thresholds. See Explanatory notes for further information.
  2. Biologically implausible and missing height, weight, or BMI values (11.1% of all records) were excluded from the analysis.

Current as at: Wednesday 31 July 2024
Contact page owner: Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence