Heart disease is Australia’s biggest killer, and next week’s Heart Week will focus on making sure we’re on top of our ticker.
From 28 April to 4 May, the Heart Foundation is encouraging the public and health professionals to start a conversation about heart health and the steps needed to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Locally, two walks will be held to promote making the most of physical activity opportunities and incorporating them into our everyday.
“We know improvements in heart health come from good nutrition, good physical activity, giving up smoking, getting heart health checks, good sleep patterns and good social patterns,” Heart Foundation Regional Health Promotion Coordinator (Hunter) Deborah Moore said.
“Getting active is one of the easiest things out of that list because we’ve got the facilities here in Newcastle to do it, and we’ve generally got the good weather in Australia to do it.”
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, almost 43,500 deaths in Australia were attributed to cardiovascular (heart, stroke or blood vessel) disease in 2017. This equates to one person every 12 minutes.
On Tuesday 30 April a walk will be held in conjunction with the Nikinpa Aboriginal Child and Family Centre to the Toronto Foreshore from 8.30am, with heart health checks available at the beginning and end of the walk. Meet at the centre on Beckley Avenue.
In Newcastle, a lunchtime walk will be taken along the light rail route from the Newcastle Interchange to Pacific Park at 12.30pm on Friday 3 May.
“This year the [Heart Week] theme is around aiming to get people to have a heart health check, but we also wanted to get the community involved in a walk so we can get people comfortable with taking advantage of the walkways,” Ms Moore said.
“We want to bring people together and promote that physical activity opportunity.”
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