The recently launched “Australian Heart Disease Statistics 2014” compendium has revealed some worrying trends. The most comprehensive set of statistics on cardiovascular disease ever compiled in Australia indicates that obesity levels, sedentary lifestyles and poor nutrition at an all-time high. While smoking has declined, other risk factors have increased, such as low vegetable consumption and obesity, with almost two thirds of Australian adults now either overweight or obese. Statistics indicate that 35 per cent of the Australian diet now being made up of discretionary or ‘sometimes’ foods.
Fewer than 10 per cent of Australians meet recommended guidelines for vegetable consumption (five or more serves per day), only 30 per cent of children meet physical activity recommendations, and only 10 per cent of children meet both physical activity and screen-time recommendations. One-quarter of children aged two to 17 classified as overweight or obese, and these weight issues likely to continue into adulthood.
Now is the time to act. Get active and start making decisions based on improving your health and the health of your family.
