NSW Director of Cardiovascular Health programs at the Heart Foundation, Julie Anne Mitchell, answers your questions.
Is it true that apple-shaped women are more prone to heart problems? If so, what do you recommend I do to reduce the risk?
Your body shape can be described as either an "apple" or "pear" shape. What this means it that your excess body fat is stored either around your middle or waist (apple shaped) or around your hips, thighs and buttocks (pear shaped).
Excess weight around the waist (apple shaped) can be linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. This is why the federal government has a program called Measure Up, which encourages Australians to know their waist measurement. To find out how to measure your waist to see whether you are at risk of heart disease, visit www.measureup.gov.au.
The best way to reduce your waist measurement is to make small but sustainable changes to what you eat, to your level of physical activity and to the amount of time you spend sitting during your day. These changes can be as simple as swapping to reduced-, low- or no-fat milk and dairy products, choosing lean meat trimmed of fat, and/or making physical activity a regular part of every day.
Look for opportunities to take the stairs rather than the lift, keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes at work so that you walk at lunchtime. Stand up and stretch every hour that you sit in front of a computer screen and look for incidental opportunities to walk rather than use the car.
It is also worthwhile talking to your doctor and asking to have your heart health checked. This involves having your blood pressure and cholesterol checked as well as answering questions about your family history.
For more information contact the Heart Foundation Health Information Service on 1300 36 27 87 (cost of a local call), or for recipe ideas, visit www.heartfoundation.org.au.