HEART disease-related deaths have risen in Australia for the first time since 2008 and Tamworth Heart Foundation spokeswoman Penny Milson says the new statistics are not surprising, with New England figures for obesity and smoking above state averages.
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The data, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, showed in 2014, 20,173 people died from ischemic heart disease, up 2 per cent from 2013, when it was the primary cause of death for 19,769 Australians.
“It’s surprising, but not surprising,” Ms Milson said.
“We in Australia have too much obesity, with about half the population not getting enough physical activity.”
She said smoking and obesity rates were huge factors behind the recent figures and that the New England and North West’s figures were ahead of state averages.
Ms Milson said 65 per cent of the population in the New England North West were classified as overweight or obese, nearly 4 per cent above the state average.
And while smoking rates were trending downwards, Ms Milson said they were still unacceptably high.
Ms Milson said January smoking figures in the New England North West were considerably higher than the NSW mean.
“Twenty-one per cent of adults in the region still smoke, compared with the state average of 15 per cent,” she said.
“Changing the environment” was a key step to tackling the issues, she said.
“Tamworth Regional Council has taken great steps in the right direction, with the smoke-free CBD and the outdoor gym as a part of the new playground, giving more people access to healthy lifestyles,” she said.
While there have been positive steps made, the Tamworth local government area had 215.7 circulatory-related deaths per 100,000 people in 2012-13, which Ms Milson said was among the highest rates in the state and was nearly 16 per cent higher than the statewide figure of 185.9 deaths per 100,000 during the same period.
Ms Milson said high blood pressure and cholesterol were “silent killers” in heart health, with symptoms not obviously presenting themselves, and urged people to take the initiative to get check-ups and adopt a healthier lifestyle.
“If you’re over 40 or 45 and have a family history of heart disease, you should ask your GP for a heart health check-up,” she said.
“Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity activity, reducing time sitting down during the day and a better diet can help reduce risk, too.”
