HILDA Report 2025

HILDA Report 2025 & The Power of Seafood Consumption for Australian Wellbeing

Unpacking the Latest HILDA Report – The State of the Australian Nation

Australia’s most in-depth window into the lived experience of its people—the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey (HILDA)—has just released its 2025 report, shedding light on a nation in flux. The HILDA report, conducted annually since 2001 and supported by the Australian Government through the Melbourne Institute, tracks over 16,000 Australians and provides a unique, longitudinal perspective on everything from economic security to social and psychological wellbeing.[1][2][3]

Key findings from HILDA 2025 include:

  • Rising Loneliness and Mental Health Concerns: The proportion of Australians reporting frequent feelings of loneliness continues to climb, particularly in the aftermath of COVID-19 and amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures. Loneliness is now closely linked with psychological distress—those feeling isolated are far more likely to experience emotional difficulties.[4][5]
  • Declining Friendships: The report notes a steady decline in those agreeing with the statement “I seem to have a lot of friends,” a trend magnified by reduced face-to-face interactions during the pandemic years.
  • Time Stress and Work-Life Balance: Many Australians report feeling ‘time poor’, struggling to balance work, family, and leisure.[5]
  • Economic Anxiety and Changing Retirement Patterns: Household wealth, super balances, and shifting health outcomes are pushing many to delay retirement or seek new forms of work later in life.[6]
  • Overall Wellbeing at Risk: Across all age groups, there is increased psychological distress and reduced life satisfaction compared to 15 years ago. Social connections, especially family meals and community engagement—are identified as crucial buffers against these negative trends.[2][5]

While the findings paint a sobering portrait of contemporary Australia, they also highlight opportunities for positive interventions—especially those that combat social isolation, improve nutrition, and foster vibrant communities.

Part Two: How Increasing Seafood Consumption Could Help Address HILDA’s Challenges

Seafood is rarely front-and-centre in policy responses to the big issues HILDA highlights. Yet a growing body of health and nutrition research—and recent reviews commissioned by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), international NGO’s and universities—shows that increasing seafood consumption offers tangible benefits that map directly onto HILDA’s main social and health challenges.[7][8][9]

1. Combating Loneliness and Fostering Connection

A core finding from HILDA is the protective effect of regular family and social meals. Seafood, owing to its historic role as a ‘shared food’—whether fish and chips on the beach, sushi with friends, or a family prawn barbecue—naturally brings people together. Promoting shared seafood meals can offer opportunities for intergenerational connection and cultural engagement, fighting the “meal for one” trend associated with rising loneliness.[10][11]

2. Supporting Mental Health and Cognitive Function

Multiple peer-reviewed studies link regular fish and seafood intake to reduced psychological distress, better mood, and lower rates of depression and anxiety—likely due to high levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA. HILDA’s findings on psychological distress and time stress suggest that simple, nutrient-dense foods like seafood—fast to cook, easy to share—can play a practical role in self-care and mental wellbeing.[8][12]

3. Improving Physical Health Across Life Stages

Seafood’s health benefits are well-documented in academic literature and government guidelines. Regular consumption:

  • Reduces the risk of heart attacks, stroke, and certain cancers by up to 30%
  • Contributes to healthy pregnancies, with omega-3 intake lowering the risk of pre-term birth and supporting infant brain development[13][8]
  • Supports healthy aging, reducing the risk of cognitive decline and chronic inflammation, which is increasingly important as Australia’s population grows older and HILDA tracks longer working lives[7][13]

Yet, most Australians still do not consume the recommended 2-3 seafood servings per week—the figure is especially low among young adults and low-income groups. The 2024 ASC/MSC Super Seafood report warns that 60% of Gen Z and over 55% of all Australians fail to meet these dietary guidelines, revealing clear scope for targeted public health campaigns.[14][15]

4. Addressing Sustainability, Affordability, and Access

HILDA’s economic stress data dovetail with Australians’ top cited barriers to eating more seafood: price concerns, lack of confidence in preparation, and limited access to affordable, high-quality options. Tackling these requires:[11][12][10]

  • Expanding markets for underutilised Australian species, making seafood cheaper and more sustainable
  • Investing in education—recipes, meal kits, and digital resources—to boost kitchen confidence[10]
  • Supporting responsible aquaculture and sustainable fisheries so supply can meet future demand affordably [Eat Like a Fish][9][11]

5. Promoting Community and Cultural Health

Australia’s Indigenous communities have some of the world’s highest per capita seafood consumption—a foundation for community health, social identity, and food security. Learning from these traditional foodways can inspire broader Australian society to use seafood as a bridge between people, places, and sustainable living.[16]

Conclusion & Call to Action

Australia stands at a crossroads. As the HILDA 2025 report highlights, the nation faces rising loneliness, psychological distress, and persistent health inequalities. Increasing seafood consumption, as part of a wider culture of shared meals and community engagement, offers a practical, evidence-based way to address these challenges.From improved heart and brain health to building social connection and affordability, seafood is more than a meal—it’s a proven lever for better national wellbeing.

As we approach International Day of Older Persons (A/RES/45/106) on 1 October please think about the HILDA Report and the information in this article – share this widely.

Key References

  • HILDA 2025 Statistical Report, Melbourne Institute[3][2]
  • Hunt, W. & McManus, A. (2025) “Health Benefits of Eating Seafood”, FRDC/ICFA[8][9]
  • Christenson, J. K. et al. (2017) “Barriers and Drivers of Seafood Consumption in Australia”[10]
  • Bogard, J. et al. (2019) “The Role for Fish and Seafood in a Healthy and Sustainable Australian Diet”[11][13]
  • ASC/MSC Super Seafood Report (2024)[14]
  • Taylor, J. et al. (2011) “Nutrition Resources for General Practice”[7]

For more insights and resources on seafood, sustainable diets, and community health, visit: www.seafoodconsumers.global

Media Contacts:

SCA: CEO, Roy Palmer +61 492825012 or seafoodsdg@outlook.com

HILDA Report: ben.cardwell@unimelb.edu.au

References:

  1. https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/news/news/2025/hilda-2025-insights-into-a-changing-australia

  2. https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/5387806/2025-HILDA-Statistical-Report.pdf

  3. https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda/publications/hilda-statistical-reports

  4. https://womensagenda.com.au/life/loneliness-and-rising-financial-stress-hilda-report-reveals-key-issues-facing-australians/

  5. https://theconversation.com/fewer-friends-more-time-stress-the-essential-charts-from-this-years-hilda-survey-265475

  6. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/behind-the-significant-shift-forcing-australians-to-retire-later/29i3wx7d0

  7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3413969/

  8. https://www.frdc.com.au/sites/default/files/documents/Nutritional-Toolkit_One-Page-Summary_INT_FINAL.pdf

  9. https://www.frdc.com.au/health-benefits-seafood

  10. https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/journal_contribution/The_barriers_and_drivers_of_seafood_consumption_in_Australia_a_narrative_literature_review/22967774

  11. https://ro.uow.edu.au/articles/journal_contribution/Linking_production_and_consumption_The_role_for_fish_and_seafood_in_a_healthy_and_sustainable_Australian_diet/27765105

  12. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2018.00118/full

  13. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6723351/

  14. https://au.asc-aqua.org/news/super-seafood-report/

  15. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10195553/

  16. https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/files/72848584/1_s2.0_S0306919223000325_main.pdf

  17. https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/5229912/2024-HILDA-Statistical-Report.pdf

  18. https://www.wafic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/secondary_resource.pdf

  19. https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/3537441/HILDA-Statistical-report-2020.pdf

  20. https://www.frdc.com.au/sites/default/files/2021-06/2019_Unpackingseafoodexperience_report.pdf

Note: For more information about SCA and its mission, please visit www.seafoodconsumers.global or view our public charity profile on the ACNC website.

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