Health for Every Heart
Health for Every Heart
Tracking Australia’s heart health
Snapshot of Australia’s heart health in year 1 of Health for Every Heart
To understand how far we have to go to achieve the 25-year vision, we need to understand the starting point.
Using the first data point (baseline value) for each of the 43 indicators in the heart health tracker, we can better understand where we are starting from and how far we have to go to achieve the 12 targets that define success for Health for Every Heart.
Goal 1: Australia’s starting point to advance heart health equity
Making progress towards Health for Every Heart Goal 1 means that values should be decreasing over time for indicators of heart health equity (1a to 1j), indicating that Australia is closing the gap in heart health for priority populations, including First Nations people.
Heart health equity is heading in the right direction when the values for Goal 1 indicators (Tables 1 and 2) are moving towards zero (for rate gaps) or one (for rate ratios) for First Nations people and people living in areas that are remote or have the greatest socioeconomic disadvantage. New diagnoses of rheumatic heart disease should be decreasing towards zero new cases (elimination) for all population groups (1e), consistent with Australia’s commitment to the RHD Endgame Strategy1,2.
Heart health of First Nations people
The target for 2050 is to halve the gap between heart disease mortality and morbidity rates for First Nations peoples and non-Indigenous people in Australia. The baseline values in Table 1 establish the gap at the beginning of the 25-year journey that should be at least halved to meet the target by 2050.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
First Nations people experienced at least twice the mortality and morbidity for cardiovascular disease than non-Indigenous people in Australia.
First Nations people bore a total burden of cardiovascular disease that was 2.4 times higher (1d) compared to non-Indigenous people in Australia. Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases was 1.5 times higher (1b) and presentations at a hospital emergency departments was 2.5 times higher (1c) for First Nations people compared to non-Indigenous people in Australia.
The mortality rate (deaths per 100,000) due to coronary heart disease for First Nations people was more than double the rate for non-Indigenous people in Australia (1a).
New diagnoses of rheumatic heart disease among First Nations people occurred at a rate that was 13 times higher than the rate for all people in Australia.
Diagnoses of rhematic heart disease occurred at a rate of 54.1 per 100,000 First Nations people, which is over 13 times higher than the diagnoses rate for all people in Australia (3.9 per 100,000, 1e). Rheumatic heart disease is a preventable condition that disproportionately affects First Nations people. Australia is committed to eliminating rhematic heart disease by 2031.1,2
Heart health impacted by remoteness or socioeconomic status
The target for 2050 is to reduce heart health disparities (gap) between the highest and lowest socioeconomic groups by 50%. The baseline values in Table 2 establish the gap at the beginning of the 25-year journey that should be at least halved to meet the target by 2050.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
People in Australia’s most remote areas experienced nearly double the burden of cardiovascular disease compared to the least remote, and areas with the highest socioeconomic disadvantage compared to the lowest.
People living in areas with the highest socioeconomic disadvantage experienced a total burden of cardiovascular diseases that was 1.8 times higher than for people living in areas with the lowest socioeconomic disadvantage (1g). The disparity is similar (1.9 times) for people living in remote or very remote areas compared to people living in major cities (1j).
Emergency department cases of cardiovascular disease were also nearly double among people living in areas that are regional and remote (1.8 times) or have the highest socioeconomic disadvantage (1.9 times) compared to major cities and areas with the lowest socioeconomic disadvantage, respectively (1f, 1h).
Goal 2: Australia’s starting point to enable healthy behaviours
Making progress towards Health for Every Heart Goal 2 means that values should be increasing for Goal 2 indicators of healthy behaviours that reduce risk of heart disease, while values should be decreasing for indicators of environment and behavioural risk factors. Over time the values should also be decreasing for Goal 2 indicators of disease burden attributable to environment and behavioural risk factors.
Heart health is heading in the right direction if the values for:
Physical activity are increasing (2a, 2b)
Obesity and overweight are decreasing (2d, 2e)
Smoking and vaping are decreasing (2g,2h)
Consuming of food and drink in a healthy eating pattern are increasing (2k, 2l, 2m, 2o) and dietary risk factors are decreasing (2n)
Burden of disease for coronary heart disease and stroke attributable to physical inactivity, obesity and overweight, tobacco use, dietary risk factors and air pollution are decreasing (2c, 2f, 2j, 2p, 2q)
Physical activity
The target for 2050 is that the proportion of the population meeting recommended physical activity levels should reach over 75%. The baseline values for the indicators in Table 3 establish the physical activity levels at the beginning of the 25-year journey. By the time we reach 2050, the value of indicator 2a needs to be 75% or higher to meet the target.
If Australia remains on track and increases physical activity levels there could also be a decrease observed for the total burden of coronary heart disease and stroke due to physical inactivity (Table 3 - 2c).
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
Only about in one quarter (23.9%) of adults and young people were meeting physical activity guidelines3, which is about a third of the level needed to meet the 2050 target.
However, nearly 9 out of 10 people (88.1%) were doing some level of physical activity (2b) but were not necessarily doing enough to meet the guidelines3 and realise the health benefits.
Obesity and overweight
The target for 2050 is to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the population by 20%. The baseline values for the indicators in Table 4 establish the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the population at the beginning of the 25-year journey. By the time we reach 2050, indicators 2d and 2e (Table 4) should have values that are 20% lower than the baseline values to meet the target.
If Australia remains on track and reduces prevalence of overweight and obesity, there should also be a decrease observed for the total burden of coronary heart disease and stroke due to obesity and overweight (2f).
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
About two thirds of adults (65.8%) and one third of children and young people (aged 5-17 years) (27.7%) were living with overweight or obesity.
Prevalence of overweight and obesity will need to drop to about half of adults (52%) and about one fifth of children and young people (22%) or less to meet the 2050 target.
Smoking and vaping (tobacco and nicotine use)
The target for 2050 is for smoking and vaping prevalence to fall below 5%. The baseline values for indicators in Table 5 establish prevalence of smoking and vaping (use of e-cigarettes) at the beginning of the 25-year journey. By the time we reach 2050, indicators 2g and 2h should have values of 5% or lower to meet the target.
By reducing smoking prevalence, we should also be able to observe a decrease over time in the total burden of disease for coronary heart disease and stroke due to tobacco use.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
Smoking prevalence among adults and young people was double the 2050 target.
About one in ten (10.5%) adults and young people aged14 years and over currently smoke tobacco (daily, weekly or less than weekly).
Vaping prevalence among adults and young people was about 1.5 times higher than the 2050 target.
There were 7.0% of adults and young people who used vapes (e-cigarettes), which was for lower than smoking prevalence for all people aged 14 years and over.
Young people were more likely to use vapes than smoke tobacco.
For young people aged 15 to 24 years, smoking prevalence (7.2%) was much closer to the 2050 target while vaping is currently over three times the prevalence needed to meet the 2050 target (17.9%).
Dietary risk factors
The target for 2050 is to reduce heart disease attributed to dietary risk factors by 50%. The baseline values for indicators in Table 6 establish the profile for dietary risk and attributable disease burden at the beginning of the 25-year journey.
If we are heading in the right direction towards the 2050 target over time, we will see increasing proportions of people eating enough fruits and vegetables, not using salt in their meals and not exceeding the recommended amount of alcohol. By the time we reach 2050, the total burden of disease for coronary heart disease and stroke attributable to dietary risk factors should have been reduced by 50% to meet the target.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
Among adults, almost half were eating enough fruit but only about one in 15 were eating enough vegetables.
The proportion of adults who were eating the recommended daily intake of fruit was about 7 times more (44.1%) than the proportion who were eating the recommended daily intake of vegetables (6.5%) (2k, 2l).
Among children, about two thirds were eating enough fruit but only about one in 20 were eating enough vegetables.
The proportion of children who were eating the recommended daily intake of fruit was over 13 times more (63.9%) than the proportion who were eating the recommended daily intake of vegetables (4.6%) (2k, 2l).
More people add salt to their food while cooking than add it to their food at the dinner table.
While less than half of adults (47.7%) add salt to their food at the table, there are still about three quarters of adults (77.6%) adding salt to meals during preparation or cooking (2m). On average, people consumed about 2.3 grams per day of sodium from their food and beverages (2n).
About three quarters of adults and young people consumed alcohol at or below the recommended daily intake.
There were about the same proportion of people who did not exceed the recommended daily intake of alcohol in the 15 years and over age group (72.9%) as there were in the 45 years and over age group (72.5%)(2o).
To meet the target, there should be a reduction in disease burden for coronary heart disease and stroke caused by dietary risk factors to about 95,000 DALYs by 2050.
The total burden of disease for coronary heart disease and stroke due to dietary risk factors was 189,563 DALYs at the beginning of the 25-year journey (2p).
Air pollution
The target for 2050 is that the impact of environmental factors on heart disease will be steadily decreasing. The baseline value for the indicator in Table 7 establishes the burden of disease for coronary heart disease and stroke attributable to air pollution at the beginning of the 25-year journey. As we approach 2050, we should see the value for indicator 2q steadily reducing over time.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
The fatal disease burden of coronary heart disease and stroke due to air pollution was over four times higher than the non-fatal burden.
Goal 3: Australia’s starting point to prevent, detect and manage risks early
Making progress towards Health for Every Heart Goal 3 means that values for Goal 3 indicators that show clinically assessment of cardiovascular risks and managing high blood pressure and high cholesterol, two major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, should be improving over time.
Specifically, heart health is heading in the right direction if the values for:
- Clinical assessment of cardiovascular risk and readiness for an assessment are increasing (3a, 3b)
- normal or low blood pressure are increasing (3c) and abnormal LDL cholesterol is decreasing (3g)
- lack of awareness of high blood pressure or high cholesterol is decreasing (3d, 3h)
- burden of disease for coronary heart disease and stroke attributable to high blood pressure and high cholesterol are decreasing (3f, 3k)
Clinical assessment of absolute cardiovascular disease risk
The target for 2050 is that more than 80% of the eligible population will have had their cardiovascular disease risk clinically assessed. The baseline values for indicators in Table 8 establish the uptake of Heart Health Checks and readiness for clinical assessment of cardiovascular risk at the beginning of the 25-year journey. To meet the target, indicator 3a should reach 80% or more by 2050.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
About 1 in 55 people eligible for a Heart Health Check (1.8%) got one in 2024.
The Medicare-subsidised Heart Health Check conducted by a GP is one way to have a comprehensive clinical assessment of cardiovascular disease risk aligned with the national clinical guidelines.4 The rate of Heart Health Check uptake was lower (1.5%) for adults who have most recently become eligible for a Heart Health Check (aged 45-54 years)(3a).
Over half of adults aged 45 years and over (56.7%) have enough information in their GP record to get a clinical risk assessment.
In a higher risk age group (45 years and over) many people are ready to have their cardiovascular risk assessed with information that has already been collected in their GP record. This presents an opportunity to increase the rate of clinical risk assessment for cardiovascular disease. Taking the next step to have a clinical assessment could identify risks and how to manage them, which will help prevent disease from developing.
Blood pressure
The target for 2050 is that 80% of the population will have controlled blood pressure. This means that 80% adults will have blood pressure in the normal range (less than 140/90 mmHg), with or without treatment to control it. The baseline values for indicators in Table 9 establish blood pressure levels above the normal range and contributing factors at the beginning of the 25-year journey. To meet the 2050 target, indicator 3c (all adults) should reach and maintain 80% or more.
As the proportion of people with controlled blood pressure increases over time, we may see decreasing burden of coronary heart disease and stroke that is due to high blood pressure.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
Australia had 76.7% of adults with blood pressure in the normal range (less than 140/90 mmHg).
This indicator baseline value indicator 3c could reach a value that meets the target for controlled blood pressure ahead of 2050. Continuing to monitor this indicator through the 25-year journey will help to maintain the target value, and understand if action needs to be taken if the value drops below the target during the 25-year journey.
A lower proportion of adults (66%) in the 45 years and over age group had blood pressure in the normal range (3c).
Most of the people who reported that they did not have hypertension (diagnosed high blood pressure) were found to have high, very high or severely high blood pressure.
In the Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey in 2022, there were three quarters (74.5%) of adults who reported that they did not have hypertension who were subsequently found to have blood pressure above the normal range (greater than 140/90 mmHg). Without knowing about their blood pressure, people are unlikely to be taking action to control it, which will help to reduce risk of heart disease and stroke.
The National Hypertension Taskforce is working to ensure that people who have hypertension are able to effectively treat and control their blood pressure.5 The taskforce has defined their primary goal as increasing the proportion of people with effectively controlled blood pressure to 70% by 2030. The most recently reported level is 40%, for 2022 – 2024.6
Cholesterol
The target for 2050 is to reach a 50% reduction in cholesterol rates that cause increased cardiovascular disease risk. The baseline values for indicators in Table 10 establish population cholesterol levels above the normal range and associated contributing factors at the beginning of the 25-year journey. To meet the target, the value for indicator 3g (all adults) should be reduced by at least 50% of the baseline value by 2050.
As the proportion of people with cholesterol levels in the normal range increases over time, we may see decreases in the burden of coronary heart disease and stroke that is due to high cholesterol.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
About one third of adults had abnormal levels of LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol.
There was a similar proportion of adults with LDL cholesterol above the normal range for both age groups: all adults (27.8%) and adults aged 45 and over (32.8%) (3g). To meet the target, the value for indicator 3g will need to fall to around 14 to 16%.
Over 90% of people had LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol levels above the normal range after reporting that they did not have high cholesterol.
In the Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Measures Survey 2022-2024, there were as many as 9 out of 10 people (90.9%) who reported that they did not have high cholesterol and were subsequently tested and found to have high cholesterol (3h).
Goal 4: Australia’s starting point for managing heart disease effectively and preventing further events
Making progress towards Health for Every Heart Goal 4 means that values for Goal 4 indicators that tell us about cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity, including co-morbidity, and cardiac arrest survival outcomes should be improving over time.
Specifically, heart health is heading in the right direction if the values for:
- mortality rates for all persons, males and females are decreasing (4d)
- survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and defibrillator use are increasing (4a, 4b)
- total cardiovascular disease burden for all persons, males and females is decreasing (4e)
- prevalence and hospitalisations for cardiovascular disease and common comorbidities are decreasing (4f, 4g, 4h)
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests
The target for 2050 is to increase the survival rate for out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests to 30%. The baseline values for indicators in Table 11 establish the survival rate for cardiac arrests and defibrillator use at the beginning of the 25-year journey. To meet the target, indicator 4a needs to reach at least 30% by 2050.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
About 10% of adults survived a cardiac arrest occurring out-of-hospital, which is about one third of the rate needed to meet the 2050 target.
If out-of-hospital cardiac arrests were witnessed by a bystander, the survival rate was three times higher (29.9%) (4b). Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) were used in around 1 out of every 50 (1.9%) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergencies.
Cardiovascular disease and common co-morbidities
The target for 2050 is that prognosis and quality of life for people living with heart disease will be steadily improving. The baseline values for indicators in Table 12 establish the mortality and morbidity of cardiovascular disease, including common comorbidities at the beginning of the 25-year journey. As we approach 2050, we should see these values improving, specifically indicators 4d and 4e should be steadily reducing.
At the beginning of the Health for Every Heart journey:
There were 111 deaths due to cardiovascular diseases per 100,000 people in Australia.
This means that there were about 42,298 deaths in the reporting year (2024). The mortality rate was higher for men (133 deaths per 100,000 people) than for women (91 deaths per 100,000), by sex7 (4a).
For cardiovascular diseases, men experienced almost twice the disease burden and 1.4 times higher rate of hospitalisations compared to women.
The total burden of cardiovascular disease in Australia for all people is 19.3 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 1000 people, for males is 25.5 DALYs per1000 and for females is 13.6 DALYs per 1000, by sex7 (4e). The total burden of disease represents the combined fatal burden (years of life lost) and non-fatal burden (years lost to disability).
About 2.6% males (2,604 per 100,000 people) were admitted to hospital for cardiovascular related conditions compared to 1.8% females (1,810 per 100,000 people) (4f).
The best estimate available tells us that 1.1% of people in Australia were living with cardiovascular disease and two other chronic conditions, type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and other chronic conditions occurring together such as chronic kidney disease and/or type 2 diabetes tells us about how many people in Australia could be living with cardiovascular disease multimorbidity. Note: The data defining the starting point for Health for Every Heart in this tracker are from 2011-12 (see ref 8).
For cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, the best estimate available tells us that the most common conditions occurring together were cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease (3.5%) (4g).
The highest hospitalisation rate for common comorbidities was for cases related to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes at 696 hospitalisations per 100,000 people in Australia.
The rate of hospitalisations can tell us about how much people are accessing hospital care for conditions that commonly occur together. The highest hospitalisation rate after cardiovascular disease and diabetes was diabetes and chronic kidney disease occurring together, with 563 hospitalisations per 100,000 people in Australia.
References
- The Kids Research Institute Australia. RHD Endgame Strategy.
- National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. Endgame for deadly heart disease will save hundreds of lives.
- Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. 24-hour movement guidelines (2026). Note: The national physical activity guidelines were updated in 2026. The 2014 guidelines were used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in the National Health Survey 2022 data collection, which is the data source used for baseline values of Indicators 2a and 2b in Table 3 of this heart health tracker.
- Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance. Australian guideline and calculator for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk 2023.
- National Hypertension Taskforce. A collaborative cross-sector approach to reducing the burden of high blood pressure in Australia.
- Ohlrogge AH et al. Update from the National Hypertension Taskforce of Australia: prevalence, treatment and control rates of hypertension between 2022 and 2024 — implications and future directions. J Hypertension. 2026;44(8):1457-1461. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000004358
- Definitions of sex applied for data reported from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
- The most recent data available to define the starting point for indicator 4g in this heart health tracker, “Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and comorbidities”, is for a reporting period that is over 15 years prior to the beginning of Health for Every Heart. See the Goal 4 indicator summary for more information.
Goal 4: Manage heart disease effectively and prevent further events