Flinders University has again joined forces with the South Australian Government, The Shane Warne Legacy and SiSU Health to provide free health checks during the AFL Gather Round.
More than 9,000 free heart health and diabetes checks were conducted during AFL Gather Round last year, with thousands of footy supporters taking a few minutes out of their day to kick vital goals.
The checks will be available this year all Gather Round venues, including Adelaide Oval, Elder Park, Barossa Park, Norwood Oval, and the Norwood Food & Wine Festival.
Attendees will get free access to screenings for vital cardiovascular and metabolic health risk indicators, including blood pressure, heart rate, heart age, BMI, diabetes risk, blood sugar levels and cholesterol and triglycerides.
Anyone aged 16 and over attending or near the event will be able to access the free and quick Shane Warne Legacy health check on the SiSU Health Station. Some participants will subsequently be offered on-the-spot Cholesterol (Hemoglobin A1c) & glucose (Lipids) checks to be conducted by Flinders Medical Scientists from FHMRI and the College of Medicine and Public Health.
Professor Mark Shephard OAM says exciting its for the International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing to again be involved in delivering health checks for heart disease and diabetes at this year's Gather Round event.
"It highlights the flexibility and adaptability of point-of-care testing because the technology can not only be used for diagnosis, detection and management of disease but also, in the case of Gather Round, for risk assessment for cardiometabolic disease.
"The risk assessments being carried at Gather Round are so important because many members of the community are unaware of their risk or haven't had their heart and diabetes status checked for many years. Knowing your results, taking ownership of them, and regularly seeing your GP are critical in managing your health and preventing unwanted complications of these conditions, notably preventing a heart attack or stroke for example."
Participants will be able to view their results immediately via the SiSU Health mobile app, which also serves as an ongoing tool to raise awareness about susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes.
The app provides prompts for individuals with elevated blood pressure, a high BMI, high blood sugar or elevated cholesterol to consult with their GP.
Premier Peter Malinauskas MP says there was a strong response from last year's Shane Warne Legacy Health Check initiative with many people appreciating the access and ease of gaining access to these health insights.
"Having an awareness of your risk factors - knowing your numbers - is really important. Many of us - especially middle aged blokes - don't.
"Stopping for a few minutes outside a Gather Round venue for one of these checks will help save lives, and will help improve the overall health of our population."
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in Australia, claiming a life every 12 minutes and is often referred to as a silent killer.
Those who are living with Type 2 Diabetes, which includes 1.3 million Australians, are at further risk of heart disease. The longer a person has diabetes, the higher the chances are that they will develop heart disease. However, this doesn't need to be the case.
This initiative will help people to "know their numbers" and start a conversation about their health.
Flinders is recognised as a global leader and advocate for point-of-care testing research, teaching and innovation, enabling pathology tests to be carried out in a clinical setting, generating an immediate result. The University works closely with national and international partners to develop solutions to improve access to health services and patient outcomes.
