The Beat podcast

Welcome to The Beat

Our new podcast from the Heart Foundation unpacks the latest research, news, and trends shaping Australia’s heart health. Each episode explores the big issues making headlines - from medical breakthroughs to public health debates - and what they mean for all of us.

Listen in

Obesity, heart disease and the importance of being heard?

What happens when obesity care starts with compassion instead of blame?

Tammy Merton has lived with obesity for most of her adult life. After surviving a sudden cardiac arrest during COVID and later experiencing the emotional toll of recovery, she found herself confronting not only the challenges of managing her weight, but also the stigma that can stop people from seeking help.

In this episode of The Beat, Tammy shares her personal experience living with obesity and heart disease, the impact of weight stigma in healthcare, and why she believes Australia’s first Clinical Consensus Statement on Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease could help change the conversation.

As a consumer advocate and member of the national taskforce behind the statement, Tammy offers a powerful reminder that obesity is a complex, chronic condition - and that listening to patients is an essential part of better care.

Are Seed Oils Bad for Your Heart?

Are seed oils really harmful - or just misunderstood?

With misinformation spreading online, many people are questioning whether common cooking oils are safe for heart health. In this episode of The Beat, Heart Foundation dietitian Nikita Kelly breaks down the evidence behind seed oils, inflammation and cholesterol, and explains why some of the most common claims don’t hold up in human studies.

You’ll also hear why saturated fats like butter and coconut oil can increase heart disease risk, and why your overall eating pattern matters more than any single ingredient.

Statins in the age of misinformation

Statins are one of the most widely prescribed medications in Australia, but they’ve also become a lightning rod for misinformation.

A major global study has found that many of the side effects people blame on statins aren’t actually caused by the drug. Yet the myths persist - spreading through social media, online communities and even some corners of academia.

In this episode of The Beat, the Heart Foundation’s Head of Clinical Evidence, Dannii Dougherty, explains what the science actually shows, why misinformation about statins spreads so easily, and how it can lead people to stop taking life-saving medication.

Melatonin, sleep and the heart

A recent study has linked long-term melatonin use with higher rates of heart failure and hospitalisation, raising questions about whether a common sleep supplement could affect heart health.

In this episode of The Beat, leading cardiologist Professor Garry Jennings explains what the research does and doesn’t show, why association doesn’t mean causation, and how sleep problems and disrupted body clocks may be the real issue.

We unpack why sleep is so important for the heart, what melatonin actually does in the body, and what to consider if you’re using sleep aids regularly.

Australia’s ultra-processed food problem

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are everywhere - and growing evidence shows they’re harming our health. In this episode, we unpack the latest findings from the Lancet Ultra-Processed Foods Series, exploring what UPFs are, how they affect heart health, and why they dominate Australian diets.

We also look at a pivotal moment for Australia’s food system. The national food regulatory framework is under review, and proposed reforms to the FSANZ Act could allow ultra-processed foods into the market with less scrutiny - without public health protections built in.

Joined by Lancet Series co-author Dr Phillip Baker from the University of Sydney and Heart Foundation Senior Nutrition Advisor Nikita Muller, we examine what’s driving UPF consumption, which policy solutions are working overseas, and why transparency and strong public health safeguards in Australia’s food laws matter - so healthy choices become the easier choice.

Can coffee be good for your heart?

Can your daily cup of coffee actually be good for your heart? New research from the University of Adelaide suggests that moderate coffee drinkers may have a lower risk of heart disease and even live longer. In this episode, we explore what’s really going on between caffeine and cardiovascular health - separating fact from froth. We speak with the study's author Professor Christopher Wong about what the evidence shows, how much coffee might be too much, and why your morning brew could be more than just a pick-me-up.

The arthritis drug offering new hope after a heart attack

Australian researchers have discovered that a drug already used to treat rheumatoid arthritis could hold the key to improving recovery after a heart attack. In this episode of The Beat, Dr Jonathan Noonan from the Baker Institute explains how the anti-inflammatory drug abatacept calms the immune system after a heart attack - helping the heart heal and potentially preventing heart failure in the future.

The gender gap in heart attack care

A major new Australian study has revealed that women are still missing out on life-saving treatment after a heart attack - and the gap could be costing hundreds of lives every year. In this episode, we speak with Professor Clara Chow about why these disparities persist, what the data tells us, and how Australia’s health system can do better for women’s hearts.