Almost half of Australians reported having at least one chronic health condition during the pandemic, the most common one being mental health or behavioural issues, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The latest figures offered insight into the health of Australians, including physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The most common mental health or behavioural condition was anxiety (12.7 percent) and depression (10 percent). “The National Health Survey offers insights into health conditions and health risks in 2020-21 during the COVID-19 pandemic,” ABS Director of Health Statistics Robert Long said. “Mental and behavioural conditions, back problems, and arthritis were the most commonly reported chronic conditions.” In the top three most commonly reported chronic health conditions, women were more likely to be affected than men. The proportion of people with anxiety and depression decreased by age, with over one-quarter of people between 15 and 34 years …