Annual Update of Key Results 2023/24: New Zealand Health Survey

Most New Zealanders are in good health

• In 2023/24, 85.4% of adults reported they were in ‘good health’, which is defined as good, very good or excellent health. This level of good health is similar to levels reported over the previous five years.
• Disabled adults were less likely to report being in good health (60.0%) than non-disabled adults (87.8%).
• Nearly all children were in good health in 2023/24. 96.5% of children were reported by their parents to be in ‘good health’ compared to 98.2% five years ago.
• The percentage of parents or primary caregivers of disabled children who reported their child to be in ‘good health’ (88.3%) was lower than for non-disabled children (97.8%).
• 82.0% of adults reported high or very high family wellbeing in 2023/24.
• Most adults (83.0%) reported a high or very high level of life satisfaction.
• Disabled adults were less likely to report high levels of life satisfaction (61.0%) than non-disabled adults (85.0%).

In the last five years, smoking has decreased and vaping has increased

• About 300,000 adults (6.9%) were daily smokers in 2023/24, which is a similar rate to the previous year (6.8%) but a decrease from 12.9% in 2018/19.
• Daily smoking rates have declined over the last five years in all ethnic groups, but inequities remain: Māori (from 30.4% to 14.7%), Pacific peoples (from 21.6% to 12.3%), European/Other (from 11.0% to 6.1%), and Asian (from 7.1% to 3.8%).
• Trends in daily smoking among Pacific adults have fluctuated over the last few years, but the long-term trend shows daily smoking decreasing in this population.
• Adults living in the most deprived neighbourhoods[1] were more likely to be daily smokers than adults living in the least deprived neighbourhoods (13.9% and 2.5%, respectively).
• About 480,000 adults (11.1%) were daily vapers in 2023/24, up slightly from 9.7% the previous year and 3.3% in 2018/19.
• The highest daily vaping rates were in Māori (28.8%), Pacific peoples (21.5%), and young people aged 18–24 years (26.5%).

• Some new indicators on exclusive or combined daily smoking and daily vaping were published for the first time this year, including results for earlier years.

  • In 2023/24, 1.2% of adults were dual users (ie, both smoked and vaped daily). Rates of dual use have not changed over the last five years.
  • One in six adults (16.8%) smoked and/or vaped daily in 2023/24, up from 15.1% in 2018/19.

  See Trends in smoking and vaping: New Zealand Health Survey for more information.

[1] Neighbourhood deprivation refers to the New Zealand Index of Deprivation 2018 (NZDep2018), which measures the level of socioeconomic deprivation for each neighbourhood (Statistical Area 1) according to a combination of the following 2018 Census variables: household income, benefit receipt, household crowding, home ownership, employment status, qualifications, single parent families, living in home with dampness/mould and access to the internet.

Exposure to second-hand smoke has declined

• 1.3% of children were exposed to second-hand smoke while travelling in a car or van in 2023/24, down from 4.0% when last measured in 2015/16. Child exposure to second-hand smoke inside the home decreased from 3.3% to 2.2% over the same period.
• 4.6% of adults were exposed to second-hand smoke while travelling in a car or van in 2023/24, down from 9.5% in 2015/16. Adult exposure to second-hand smoke inside the home decreased from 6.5% to 4.6% over the same period.

One in six adults has a hazardous drinking pattern

• The rate of hazardous drinking[1] was 16.6%, which is equivalent to about 720,000 adults. This is similar to last year (16.0%), but down from 20.4% in 2018/19.
• The largest decrease in hazardous drinking over the last five years was among young people 18–24 years (from 35.8% to 22.6%).
• One in 12 adults (8.2%) reported drinking six or more drinks on one occasion at least weekly. This is a decrease since 2018/19, when the rate was 12.3%.

[1] Hazardous drinking among the total population. Hazardous drinking refers to a score of 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), which suggests hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption.

Use of some illicit drugs is increasing

• Nearly one in 20 adults (4.8%) reported using ecstasy/MDMA in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey, up from 3.6% in 2018/19.
• 2.4% of adults reported using cocaine in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey, up from 1.5% in 2018/19.
• 3.1% of adults reported using hallucinogens in 2023/24, up from 2.0% in 2018/19.
• Reported use of all illicit drugs asked about in the Health Survey was higher in disabled adults than in non-disabled adults in 2023/24.

Young adults are most likely to experience psychological distress

• Most adults experienced no/low (67.8%) or moderate (19.1%) levels of psychological (mental) distress[1] in the four weeks prior to the 2023/24 survey. However, 13.0% of adults experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress.
• High or very high levels of psychological distress were more common in young adults aged 15–24 years (22.9%), disabled adults (33.2%), and in Pacific (20.0%) and Māori (19.5%) adults.
• High or very high levels of psychological distress have increased over the last five years (8.3% in 2018/19 to 13.0% in 2023/24), with the largest increase in those aged 25–34 years (from 8.8% to 18.0%).
• Disabled adults were more likely to experience high or very high levels of psychological distress than non-disabled adults (33.2% and 11.2%, respectively).

[1] Psychological distress was measured by the 10-item questionnaire Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). It refers to a person’s experience of symptoms such as nervousness, restlessness, fatigue, or depression in the past four weeks. The K10 is a screening tool, rather than a diagnostic tool, so it’s not recommended to use it to measure the prevalence of mental health conditions in the population.

One in nine children likely to have emotional symptoms and/or behavioural problems

• The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)[1] examines emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and prosocial behaviour in children ages 2–14 years.
• In 2023/24, one in nine children (11.0%) were likely to have emotional symptoms and/or behavioural problems, meaning that they have a risk of experiencing substantial difficulties in these four aspects of development: emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer problems.
• Disabled children were more likely to have emotional and/or behavioural problems than non-disabled children (47.8% and 4.9%, respectively).

[1] The SDQ is a screening tool, rather than a diagnostic tool.

Increase in unmet need for professional mental health support

• 10.7% of adults had an unmet need for professional help for their emotions, stress, mental health or substance use in 2023/24, compared to 4.9% in 2016/17.
• Unmet need for professional mental health support was highest among adults aged 25–34 years (16.2%).
• 6.5% of children had an unmet need for professional help for their emotions, behaviour, stress, mental health or substance use in 2023/24, compared to 4.8% in 2016/17.
• Disabled adults were more likely to report unmet need for professional mental health support than non-disabled adults (22.2% and 9.6%, respectively). Differences were even greater for disabled and non-disabled children (33.2% and 3.8%, respectively).

Most children have parents who cope well with parenting

• In 2023/24, nearly four out of five children (78.5%) had a parent/caregiver who coped well or very well with demands of raising children.
• Nearly all children (92.8%) had a parent/caregiver who reported having someone they can turn to for day-to-day emotional support with raising children.

One in four children live in households where food runs out

• One in four children (27.0%) lived in households where food ran out often or sometimes[1] in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey. This is higher than the previous year (21.3% in 2022/23).
• One in two Pacific (54.8%) and one in three Māori (34.3%) children were living in households where food ran out often or sometimes in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey. This compares to one in five European/Other (21.9%) and one in six Asian (17.1%) children.
• In 2023/24, 26.1% of children lived in households where, in the past year, they often or sometimes ate less because of lack of money. This is higher than the previous year (20.3% in 2022/23). For Pacific children, this increased from 35.6% in 2022/23, to 53.0% in 2023/24.
• Rates of each of these two food insecurity indicators[2] were higher in households where children were Māori, Pacific, disabled, or living in the most deprived neighbourhoods.

[1] This indicator was included in the annual Child Poverty Related Indicators Report produced by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).

[2] The two household food insecurity indicators include questions about whether in the last 12 months the household sometimes or often, ran out of food, and ate less because of lack of money.

One in 11 adults meet vegetable intake guidelines

• In 2023/24, nearly half of adults (47.1%) ate the recommended amount of fruit (2+ servings per day).
• One in 11 adults (9.1%) ate the recommended amount of vegetables (5 to 6 servings, depending on age and gender).
• Among children aged 2–14 years, 70.5% ate the recommended amount of fruit (1 to 2 servings, depending on age).
• 8.2% of children aged 2–14 years ate the recommended amount of vegetables (2.5 to 5.5 servings, depending on age and gender).
• Over half of children aged four months to less than five years at the time of the survey (55.7%) were exclusively breastfed until four months old.
• The proportion of children eating breakfast everyday has declined over the last five years, from 84.5% in 2018/19 to 78.2% in 2023/24.

Fewer than half of adults meet physical activity guidelines

• In 2023/24, 46.6% of adults met physical activity guidelines (ie, did at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity activity in the past week, spread out over the week). This is similar to last year (46.5%), but down from 50.9% in 2018/19.
• One in 7 adults (13.6%) did little or no physical activity.
• Adults living in the most deprived neighbourhoods were more likely to have done little or no physical activity than those living in the least deprived neighbourhoods (19.9% and 11.1% respectively).
• Among children aged 5–14 years, 38.8% used active transport (e.g., walking and cycling) to get to and from school in 2023/24, down from 43.7% in 2018/19.

Nearly 1.5 million adults are classified as obese

• In 2023/24, 62.9% of children and 31.2% of adults were of a healthy weight, which is similar to previous years.
• One in three adults (33.8% or nearly 1.5 million) were classified as obese in 2023/24, up from 31.3% (1.25 million) in 2018/19.
• One in eight children aged 2–14 years (12.5%) were classified as obese in 2023/24, compared to 11.4% five years ago.
• Nearly half of adults (47.8%) living in the most deprived neighbourhoods were classified as obese, compared to 25.7% of adults living in the least deprived neighbourhoods.

Fewer children are meeting sleep duration guidelines

• The proportion of children meeting sleep duration guidelines has declined over the last five years, from 78.3% in 2018/19 to 71.9% in 2023/24.
• Children living in the most deprived neighbourhoods were less likely to meet sleep duration guidelines than those living in the least deprived neighbourhoods (59.0% and 78.9%, respectively).
• Nearly seven out of 10 adults (69.3%) met the sleep duration guidelines in 2023/24, while 25.2% (or nearly 1.1 million) usually slept less than recommended, and 5.5% usually slept more than recommended.

Most people reported good, very good or excellent oral health

• About three out of four adults (76.6%) reported their oral health to be good, very good, or excellent.
• Most parents and caregivers (91.8%) reported their children’s oral health to be good, very good, or excellent.
• 64.8% of children and 66.4% of adults brush their teeth with standard fluoride toothpaste at least twice each day.
• For both adults and children, toothbrushing twice daily decreased as neighbourhood deprivation increased. In the most deprived neighbourhoods, 51.6% of adults and 54.1% of children brushed twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, compared to 76.8% of adults and 71.0% of children living in the least deprived neighbourhoods.
• Nearly half of adults (44.9%) reported unmet need for dental care due to cost. This barrier was more likely to be reported by adults who are Māori, Pacific, disabled, living in the most deprived neighbourhoods and those aged 25–54 years.

‘Time taken to get an appointment was too long’ was the most commonly reported barrier to visiting a GP

• One in four adults (25.7%) and one in five children (18.5%) reported that ‘time taken to get an appointment was too long’ as a barrier to visiting the GP in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey. This is higher than the previous year (21.2% for adults and 14.8% for children).
• Wait time as a barrier to seeing a GP was most likely to be reported by women aged 25–54 years, Pacific peoples, disabled people and those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods.
• One in six adults (15.5%) reported not visiting a GP due to cost in the 12 months prior to the 2023/24 survey. Those aged 25–34 years were more likely to report cost as a barrier (25.4%) than those in other age groups.
• Among disabled adults, 11.2% reported cost as a barrier to filling a prescription compared to 3.8% of non-disabled adults.
• Disabled children were more likely to experience time taken to get an appointment as a barrier to seeing the GP (23.3%) than non-disabled children (17.3%).

Visits to the GP decreased and visits to the emergency department increased

• For both adults and children, visits to the GP have decreased over the last five years. 75.6% of adults visited a GP in the past 12 months, down from 78.1% in 2018/19. For children, 66.6% visited the GP in the past 12 months, down from 72.8% in 2018/19.
• One in five (21.3%) children visited the emergency department (ED) in 2023/24, up from 15.1% in 2018/19. Visits in 2023/24 were highest among children aged 0–4 years (30.6%) and disabled children (28.6%).
• Visits to ED also increased for adults over the last five years. 17.8% of adults visited ED at least once in the previous 12 months in 2023/24, compared to 15.0% in 2018/19.

Those living in the least deprived neighbourhoods more likely to have health insurance

• 35.2% of adults and 27.6% of children had private health insurance, similar to previous years.
• People living in the least deprived neighbourhoods were more likely to have private health insurance than people living in the least deprived neighbourhoods (49.5% vs 16.5% for adults, 44.8% vs 8.1% for children).