Help Yourself
Health Risks Per Annum
Aged 15-24
- Risk of dying is 60/100,000 most likely from accident / injury or suicide
Aged 25-54
- Risk of dying is 60/100,000 most likely from accident / injury , cancer or heart disease
Aged 55-64
- Risk of dying is 600/100,000 most likely form cancer , heart disease or lung disease
Aged 70+
- Risk of dying is 3500/100,000 from heart disease and cancer and 700/100,000 from lung disease
Overall cause of death rate – all age groups / 100,000
* these diseases are substantially caused by smoking and aggravated by obesity – both self correctable problems
| Men | Women | |
| Cancer * | 238 | 147 |
| Heart disease * | 190 | 120 |
| Stroke * | 66 | 66 |
| Lung * | 47 | 23 |
| Suicide | 22 | 14 |
| Motor accident | 13 | 6 |
2/3 of the men and ½ of the women of Australia are overweight or obese
- Male obesity = Waist measurement – greater than 102 cm is obese. BMI 30 + is obese
- Female obesity = Waist measurement – greater than 88 cm is obese. BMI 30 + is obese
{BMI = wt in kgm / ht x ht in metres eg 75 kgm 1.7 m person has a BMI of 75 / (1.7 x 1.7) = 26}
Healthy eating for a healthy weight and low cholesterol should be encouraged Key points about healthy eating are:
- Eating regularly at least 3 times daily or small quantities up to every 3 hours. This reduces hunger and consequent overeating Eat slowly. Consider having soup before a meal
- Avoid junk food ( fatty foods , sugars and soft drinks )
- Drink low calorie liquids as this helps to fill you up (not too much alcohol and consider at least one alcohol free day a week )
Did you know that a 375 ml can of “cola” contains 155 Cals = 10 tspns sugar, a small “fries” contains 250 Cals and that these two items are equivalent to 20% of the average daily energy requirement!
Alcohol Intake
Less than 2 standard drinks /day average over a week No more than 4 standard drinks in any 24 hour period.
At least 2 alcohol free days per week
Are desirable goals
Exercise recommendations
30 minutes moderate exercise like walking 5 x /week OR 30 minutes vigorous exercise 3x/week.
Moderate exercise = walking at a pace you can conduct a conversation, dancing, golf ( not in a cart ) , light gardening. Vigorous exercise = singles tennis, aerobics, gym session, swimming (laps), chopping wood.
Exercise taken in 10 minute bursts totalling the above recommendations is almost equivalent so think about walking up stairs or parking further away and walking to your car.
