Rural Health Matters – Know your risk

Published on 01 August 2022

Heart Disease is one of the biggest health issues in the Buloke, Loddon and Gannawarra Shires. The high rates of risk factors for heart disease across the three shires, such as smoking, obesity and low levels of physical activity, also give further reason for concern.

The Buloke Loddon Gannawarra Health and Wellbeing Executive Network (BLG) is urging people to take heart matters into their own hands.

BLG is made up of representatives from 15 health organisations across the three shires, including Loddon Shire Council. The Rural Health Matters project is a continuation of the work that BLG have been doing across four key priority areas; heart and respiratory health, diabetes, mental health and oral health.

As part of the heart and respiratory health priority, BLG encourages people to know their risk factors for heart disease and seek further assistance from their local GP if they have a number of risk factors. The Network promotes four messages for managing heart health:

• Knowing what your own risk factors for heart disease are. Risk factors include age, gender, family history, ethnic background, smoking status, physical inactivity, diabetes, unhealthy diet, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and depression and social isolation.
• Identifying those risk factors that are modifiable through behaviour change. With the exception of age, gender, family history and ethnic background, the risk factors for heart disease can be modified with behaviour change and lower a person’s risk.
• If you are 35-75 years, complete the online Heart Age Calculator and make lifestyle modifications or seek professional help if necessary. The Heart Age Calculator is an online tool on the Heart Foundation website which gives you an estimated heart age. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/heart-age-calculator
• If you have multiple risk factors, see a GP for a Heart Health Check. GP Heart Health Checks are 20 minute cardiovascular disease risk assessments which can be claimed from Medicare.

“Many of us know some of the risk factors for heart disease but what people may not know is that the majority of risk factors can be modified with behaviour change,” says BLG Deputy Chair Travis Fitzgibbon.

“While our age and gender cannot be altered, we can change our physical activity levels, for example, to decrease our risk of heart disease.”

The work of the BLG “not only encourages people to identify their own risk factors but empowers them to seek support locally to address any risk they may have,” says Northern District Community Health CEO Mandy Hutchinson.

“We have supports for people to access for better heart health.”

For more information regarding Heart Health contact Northern District Community Health on (03) 5451 0200 or visit your local GP for a Heart Health Check.