Australia’s Health Index 2026: what the results mean

Routine health checks can reveal risks that have no obvious symptoms. That is a practical message from a new Australian report in which an estimated 77 per cent of adults with a high blood pressure reading had not known it was high.

The Wesfarmers Health: Australia’s Health Index 2026 draws on 585,576 SiSU Health Station checks recorded between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026, involving roughly 397,000 participants.

Its state rankings offer a snapshot of selected health risks. For individuals, the useful next step is understanding their own results and whether follow-up is needed.

How the states and territories compare

The ACT recorded the highest index score, followed by Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania scored below the national figure.

The Northern Territory was excluded because the available data was insufficient to produce a representative estimate.

Tasmania’s score improved from 70 in 2025 to 86, although it remained the lowest among the jurisdictions included. The national score rose from 100 to 104.

Within the report’s estimates, Tasmania had the highest rates of obesity and high blood pressure, Queensland the highest daily smoking rate, and South Australia the highest rate of reported diabetes.

Western Australia recorded the highest daily vaping rate despite its second-place index score. Vaping is examined separately and does not contribute to the index calculation.

What the index measures

The score combines four measures: obesity, high blood pressure, daily smoking and a self-reported diagnosis of diabetes. It tracks the likelihood of having two or more of these factors.

Higher scores indicate lower odds of having multiple risk factors, compared with Australia’s 2018 benchmark. The score is an index, rather than a percentage or a complete assessment of health.

The distinction between checks and people also matters. Almost 600,000 checks does not mean 600,000 different participants, and the number included in each analysis varies.

Users choose to visit the health stations. The report weights its estimates for age, sex and location, while acknowledging that this is not a random sample and may not represent all Australians. Some information, including smoking and diabetes history, is self-reported.

The findings also highlight unequal risks. People in the most disadvantaged areas were estimated to be 2.5 times as likely to have multiple risk factors as those in the least disadvantaged areas.

Why the blood pressure finding matters

High blood pressure can develop without obvious symptoms and increases the risk of conditions including heart attack and stroke. Regular measurement helps identify when further assessment is needed.

The report’s 77 per cent awareness figure is a reason to check your own numbers. An elevated screening result needs clinical interpretation: diagnosing hypertension generally involves repeated measurements on separate occasions.

The report also found that women had lower rates across the four main risk factors overall, but the difference in blood pressure readings narrowed later in life. Among people aged 65 and over, 22.9 per cent of women recorded a high reading, compared with 24.2 per cent of men.

Those group averages provide context. Your own readings, medical history and other risk factors are what guide an individual assessment.

Making a health check useful

Free SiSU Health Station checks are available at participating locations, including Priceline pharmacies, and can take as little as five minutes. They offer a convenient starting point for discussing results with a health professional.

The stations do not take blood. Their diabetes figures come from users reporting an existing diagnosis, so a station visit cannot establish whether someone has undiagnosed diabetes.

A GP review can bring together blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, family history and medicines. The Heart Foundation recommends discussing a Heart Health Check with your GP if you are eligible; this assesses the risk of a heart attack or stroke over the next five years.

Useful questions to take to an appointment include:

• What do my blood pressure readings mean for me?
• Am I due for cholesterol or diabetes testing?
• Would home blood pressure monitoring help, and which device and technique should I use?
• When should my results be reviewed?

If home monitoring is recommended, use a validated device with a correctly fitting upper-arm cuff and keep a record to discuss with your clinician.

The rankings can help identify where prevention needs attention. Their practical value for readers comes from acting on personal results: arranging any necessary follow-up, understanding the plan and knowing when to check again.