The results of the 2025 Active Living Census are in, and some results are concerning.
People living in the Loddon Campaspe region have higher rates of risky drinking, poorer health and lower life satisfaction than the rest of the state. People are not eating enough fruit and vegetables, and more than 50 per cent of the residents are overweight or obese.
Children are having far too much screen time, and only one-third of the region drinks enough water.
There are some positive results, with residents in the region found to have lower rates of smoking, vaping, gambling and drinking sugary drinks, and participate in more physical activity and muscle-strengthening exercise than the rest of Victoria.
More than 8000 residents took part in the census across the Macedon Ranges, Mount Alexander, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Greater Bendigo and Loddon shires.
Statistics across the region
The survey shows 62.5 per cent of children watch more than the recommended recreational screen time of 4.5 hours a day. Bendigo rated the highest, with 58 per cent of children exceeding the recommended screen time, and Macedon Ranges rated the lowest, with 48.6 per cent.
Risky alcohol consumption is common in the region and higher than the Victorian average, with more than half of adults consuming more than four drinks in one sitting in the past year.
Around one in five residents rate their health as fair or poor, and around one in eight adults in the region report low life satisfaction, lower than the state average. Roughly one in four adults experience poor mental wellbeing, with women reporting lower wellbeing than men.
The survey shows 66.4 per cent of adults in the region are obese or overweight, which is slightly higher than the state average.
Closer to home
While more than half of the adults living in the region don’t get enough exercise, residents in Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander were found to have slightly higher activity levels.
Food security is of much lower concern in Mount Alexander (9.1 per cent) and Macedon Ranges (9.6 per cent) compared to the region’s average of 18 per cent.
Only 9.7 per cent of the region eat the recommended amount of vegetables. The Macedon Ranges (13.6 per cent) and Mount Alexander Shires (11.1 per cent) residents are rating a little higher than other shires.
Only one third of the region’s population drink enough water, Mount Alexander residents drink the least.
Cycling for transport is uncommon – about one in eight residents ride weekly, with the majority cycling rarely – but this varies by location. Macedon Ranges and Central Goldfields residents cycle the least, while Mount Alexander residents cycle the most.
Adults living in Macedon, Mount Alexander and Loddon Shire feel much safer than their counterparts in Campaspe, Central Goldfields and Greater Bendigo Shires. Gambling and vaping rates are lower in Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander compared to the rest of the region.
Macedon Ranges has a small number of smokers (2.6 per cent), and Mount Alexander has the highest (9.9 per cent) in the region.
The results of the Healthy Loddon Campaspe initiative will be used to guide local planning and investment.