AROUND one-in-five Bathurst residents is a heavy drinker and/or smoker, according to new health data.
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The data from the Mitchell Institute has revealed 20.7 per cent of people who live in Bathurst drink at "risky" levels.
These are people over 15 years old who have reported average alcohol consumption of more than two standard drinks per day over the past year.
Similarly, 18 per cent of the population is a self-reported smoker. They are people who are over 14 years old and at the time of interview said they were a current, daily or at least once-a-week smokers.
Despite these alarming statistics, Bathurst has the lowest rate of smoking among the Central Western cities.
Dubbo has the highest rate of heavy drinking at 21.2 per cent and Orange has a drinking rate of 19.2 per cent.
As far as smoking goes, Dubbo has a higher level of smoking at 19.3 per cent and Orange is lower at 18.2 per cent of people smoking.
Smaller towns like Lithgow and Mudgee have much higher smoking rates, 24.1 per cent and 24.2 per cent retrospectively.
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The Mitchell Institute at the Victorian University reported 18.2 per cent of Australians are deemed "heavy" drinkers. The 2025 target is 16.1 per cent.
The same data reports 16.1 per cent of the population are smokers, the 2025 target is five per cent.
The Cancer Council says smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer, accounting for 13 per cent of cancer cases per year.
The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends no more than two standard drinks a day and to avoid binge drinking. It is advised to have two-alcohol free days every week and to choose low-alcohol drink.
The Cancer Council advises people that the combined effects of smoking and alcohol greatly increase the risk of cancer. Up to 75 per cent of caners of the upper airway and digestive tract can be related to alcohol and smoking.
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Grace Ryan
Deputy Editor at the Central Western Daily, Orange. You'll mostly find me tinkering in social media and newsletters. Working hard to get our stories in front of your eyes.
Deputy Editor at the Central Western Daily, Orange. You'll mostly find me tinkering in social media and newsletters. Working hard to get our stories in front of your eyes.
