New figures show nearly two-thirds of Australians are now overweight or obese.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) compared Body Mass Index information from 1995 to 2008.

The figures reveal 24 per cent of Australians were obese in 2008 and another 37 per cent were overweight.

Combined, the 61 per cent figure is up from 57 per cent in 1995.

The figures also show for first time that the number of people classified as overweight is the same as the number of people of normal weight - about 37 per cent.

The bureau says men have been gaining weight at a greater rate than women and a third of those living in disadvantaged areas are obese.

The figures show people who have not completed Year 12 are more likely to be obese, and more adults in outer regional and remote Australia are obese.

Obese people are not statistically different from people of ideal weight in all areas though.

The figures show only 6 per cent of Australian adults consume the recommended daily amount of both fruit and vegetables, regardless of whether they are of an ideal weight or are obese.

The bureau says the estimated cost of obesity to Australian society and governments in 2008 was $58.2 billion.

It says most of that cost comes from the burden associated with disease, including from loss of wellbeing and premature death.

Direct financial cost from obesity is estimated to be $8.3 billion, including a $2 billion cost to the healthcare system and $1.9 billion in carer costs.