Statistics

General heart statistics in New Zealand

186,000
people are living with heart disease

That's one in twenty adults [2]

33%
of deaths annually are caused by cardiovascular disease

It is the leading cause of death in New Zealand and includes heart, stroke and blood vessel disease [1]

90 mins
Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease

Many of these deaths are premature and preventable [1]

5,000
people die prematurely from smoking each year it is estimated

This equates to around 12 people a day dying from smoking [3]

Women's heart disease

No. 1
Cardiovascular disease is the no. 1 killer of women globally

But it is often thought to be a 'male' problem [4]

3x
Women who smoke are three times as likely to have a heart attack

Compared to women who don't smoke [5]

2,920
women died from heart disease in New Zealand in 2013

That's 8 women a day, or about 55 each week [1]

5x
more likely to die from a heart disease than breast cancer

For kiwi women

Obesity, smoking and physical activity

31%
of New Zealand adults (aged 15+) are obese

Compared to 66% of Pacific adults and 47% of Māori adults [2]

17%
is the smoking rate for New Zealand adults

Compared with 38% for Māori and 24% for Pacific adults [6]

30%
You are 30% more likely to be physically inactive

If you are a Pacific, Māori or Asian adult than if you are non-Māori, non-Pacific or non-Asian

1 in 9
children (aged 2-14 years) in New Zealand are obese

That's 11% of kiwi kids [2]

  • [1]  Ministry of Health (2015) Mortality and Demographic data 2013 (provisional). Wellington: Ministry of Health
  • [2]  Ministry of Health (2015) NZ Health Survey: Annual update of key results 2014-2015. Wellington: Ministry of Health
  • [3]  Ministry of Health (2009) Implementing the ABC approch for Smoking Cessation. Framework and Work Programme. Wellington: Ministry of Health
  • [4]  World Health Organisation (2013) Women’s health fact sheet N334: World Health Organisation
  • [5]  Oestreicher Stock, E., Redberg, R. (2012) Cardiovascular disease in Women. Curr Probl Cardiol,37(11), 45-526
  • [6]  Smokefree