In a new report released by the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health at the Australian Catholic University, researchers discovered that heart disease is the biggest killer of Australian women, beating out most types of cancer.
As reported by the ABC, The Cardiovascular Risk and Diseases in Australian Women report not only considered heart attack and stroke rates in their study, but also included diabetes and kidney failure, which are linked to heart disease.
This amounted to 31,000 deaths a year compared to 12,000 deaths that come at the hand of numerous cancers, which includes breast cancer.
Surprisingly, of this number, 3,000 don’t seek treatment until, tragically, it’s too late.
Professor Maja-Lisa Lochan, who worked closely on this report, adds that this shocking death rate could be reduced if Australian women make a range of different lifestyle changes.
“”Sixty per cent of the causes of heart disease in women and related issues are preventable,” she said, according to the ABC.
“The main causes are high cholesterol, type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking.”
In a bid to reduce your risk of heart disease, consider these additional lifestyle adjustments for a longer, healthier life, as outlined by Australia’s Heart Foundation:
16% per cent of Australian women above the age of 15 smoke. Smoking puts people at a big risk of heart disease, so if you do smoke, quit.
Exercise is paramount in reducing the risk of heart disease; being overweight not only puts you at risk of heart disease, but it can also lead to diabetes and high blood pressure.
High cholesterol believed to strike when a woman is in her sixties due to less hormone activity on the body post-menopause. High cholesterol is also known to be a cause of heart disease, so eating a healthy diet low in saturated fats is key.
If you have any questions or concerns, or plan on changing your diet or exercise regimen, chat to your GP and dietitian first.
