Melton has more instances of cardiac arrest than most other municipalities across the state, Heart Foundation data shows.
The only local government areas ranking higher were La Trobe, Dandenong, Brimbank and Hume.
Based on the current age profile of the municipality, the rates of cardiac arrest are 27.6 per cent higher than expected, making Melton one of the worst areas in the state
Five out of every 10,000 Melton residents suffered cardiac arrest in the six years until the end of last year.
Cardiac arrest is a malfunction of the heart’s rhythm, while a heart attack occurs when there’s a blockage to an artery.
Heart attack is the most common result of heart disease among Melton residents, with 16 out of 10,000 people suffering an attack during the data period. Heart failure (11.6) and angina (9.4) were the next most prevalent.
Heart Foundation Victoria’s healthy living manager Roni Beauchamp said high rates of heart diseases were due to higher rates of obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, soft drink consumption and poor diet among Melton people.
More than half of the population is overweight or obese, and almost a quarter smoke. About 40 per cent don’t do enough physical activity, while 20 per cent consume soft drink daily.
“Put simply, the more risk factors someone has, the greater their risk of heart disease,” Ms Beauchamp said.
“Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy weight all reduce your risk of heart disease.”
She recommended children exercise at least 60 minutes a day and adults 30 minutes, and she urged people to eat more fruit and vegetables, with about 60 per cent not eating enough fruit daily and 95 per cent not eating sufficient vegetables.
“Sadly, there is a link between disadvantage and the prevalence of heart disease,” she said.
