Understanding the importance of heart health

Dr Cheryl Buhay
Pou Tākuta ā Rohe (Clinical Director)

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This February, we launched our inaugural Heart Health Month campaign at Pathways and Real to promote and raise awareness of the heart health of our tāngata whai ora, taiohi, and kaimahi.

Heart disease affects many of the people we support. In 2024, of the 9,889 people we supported:

• 4 out of 100 had heart disease
• 8-9 out of 100 had diabetes
• 6 out of 100 had high blood pressure
• 4 out of 100 were considered obese.

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Encouraging a healthy heart

As part of the Heart Health Month campaign, we introduced a range of activities to our kaimahi designed to:

• Raise awareness about heart health
• Encourage physical activity
• Promote healthy eating habits
• Support heart health screenings (cardiovascular risk assessments) for tāngata whai ora by their GPs.

We are dedicated to ensuring the best possible physical wellbeing for the people we support.

Physical and mental health are interlinked—those we support often experience complex physical and mental health comorbidities, which can be challenging to manage due to various factors, including barriers to care and diagnostic overshadowing.

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Why heart health matters

While the heart is a universal symbol of love, it is also a vital organ that pumps blood and nutrients throughout the body. Keeping the heart healthy is essential for overall wellbeing.

Here are some key facts about heart disease:

• Heart disease is influenced by multiple factors, including family history, lifestyle choices (such as smoking, diet, and physical activity), and prescribed medications—some of which may be beyond an individual’s control.
• For Māori in Aotearoa, heart disease is the second leading cause of death (after cancer).
• People with serious mental illness are 2–3 times more likely to die earlier than the general population, with heart disease accounting for half of these premature deaths.
• The risk of developing heart disease is significantly higher for people with serious mental illness. This inequity is even more pronounced among Māori and Pasifika.

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How to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Whether you are working towards improving your heart health or maintaining a strong heart, here are some key steps from our Clinical Director, Dr Cheryl Buhay:

• Eat a balanced diet – Choose nutritious food and drinks while avoiding sugary foods and those high in saturated fat.
• Maintain a healthy weight – Excess weight can lead to fatty deposits in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and heart attacks.
• Stay active – Regular exercise supports heart health, helps manage weight, and reduces the risk of high blood pressure.
• Quit smoking – Smoking contributes to atherosclerosis, a condition that thickens or hardens arteries, restricting blood flow and increasing the risk of heart attacks.
• Get your heart checked – See your GP for a heart health check or a cardiovascular disease risk assessment to determine your risk of stroke or heart attack. Your GP can also refer you to other healthcare providers (such as a dietitian) and recommend medications if needed.

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Find reliable information

For up-to-date and evidence-based information on heart health, visit Healthify.

On the Healthify website, search for:

• Heart risk assessment
• High blood pressure
• Hyperglycaemia
• Pre-diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Triglycerides
• Body size and health

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