PM Transcripts

EMBORGO; 6PM. SUNDAY 16 APRIL, 1,72.
NATIONAL HEART WEEK
NATIONAL T. V. NETWORK
Speech by the Prime Minister, the 7t Hon. William McMahon, CH, MP.
16 April, 1972.
This is the second occasion I have been given the
privilege of opening up National Heart Week. The Foundation has
suggested to me that I emphasise as strongly as I can, the ways of
minimising the risk of heart disease. Research over the years has
clearly indicated the basic causes of heart attack, and I am informed
that if you take four precautions, you can reduce the risk considerably.
The precautions you can take are these:-
Keep Fit
Keep your weight down
Give up smoking and
Have a regular medical check
Now the Heart Foundation believes that these four remedies
are the basis of a long and healthy life and will undoubtedly help
us avoid some of the most prevalent of heart diseases.
Their view is, I think, pretty well accepted now. To drive
home the risks taken, the Foundation has asked me to mention these
points to you:-The average middleaged Australian has one chance in
twenty of getting coronary heart disease within five years.
If you are unfit, overweight and a heavy smoker, then you
have one chance in five.
But if you do as the Foundation recommends, the risk is
reduced to one in seventy-five.
Now these are telling figures and I want you to think
about them. In fact heart disease kills more of us than all other
diseases put together. This is why the Foundation has drawn your
attention to preventive action of a simple kind. And we want you
to do all you can to lower the risk of heart disease that affects
so many people. As the Heart Foundation puts it, " Give your heart
every chance". And I emphasise, give yourself every chance of a
happy successful and interesting life.