Media Releases

The Heart Foundation’s Food Reformulation programme has had a significant impact on supporting lower sugar levels in a number of everyday, low-cost food items on supermarket shelves. It is estimated that 760 tonnes of sugar per annum have been removed from targeted food categories.

Leading cardiologists and the Heart Foundation are calling for all New Zealanders with heart failure to have access to the latest healthcare and medications for optimal management of heart failure. This would bring New Zealand into line with international best practice.

One in five New Zealanders have high blood pressure (hypertension) with many of these people unaware they have it. One reason being that hypertension invariably has no symptoms. This is significant as almost one in three deaths in New Zealand are caused by cardiovascular disease — hypertension being a major risk factor.  

The Heart Foundation’s single biggest annual fundraiser of the year, the Big Heart Appeal, is back this month with a strong message – help us to save lives through life-saving heart research.

The Heart Foundation is very disappointed the new government is planning to repeal New Zealand’s world-leading policies to end smoked tobacco in New Zealand. This will likely prolong the impact smoked tobacco is having on premature illness and deaths in New Zealand. 

Big-hearted volunteers will be out in full force in February 2024 as part of the Heart Foundation’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Big Heart Appeal, which kicks off once again on streets across New Zealand.

A phone-sized defibrillator for community first responders, investigating whether AI can prevent a catastrophic heart event, and understanding the impact of ultra-processed food on heart health are just three of the many research projects awarded funding by the Heart Foundation today.

Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for almost 10,000 deaths every year in New Zealand with almost a quarter of those avoidable, increasing to half of all cardiovascular deaths for Māori and Pacific people.

The next generation of cardiologists want to impact heart health on multiple levels – in both clinical cardiology practice and the research field – and ideally at the same time.  

The Heart Foundation has released a new position statement on alcohol advising that no amount of alcohol is good for your heart health and drinking less is a better option.

According to the Heart Foundation, a simple check of your heart strength can save your life as it launches its Stand Strong campaign.

Big names, big hearts, big stories. The Heart Foundation’s biggest fundraiser of the year is back this month with some well-known New Zealanders sharing their heart stories to highlight the Big Heart Appeal and the importance of investment in heart research to save lives.