The Beat

What happens when obesity care starts with compassion instead of blame? Tammy Merton has lived with obesity for most of her adult life. After surviving a sudden cardiac arrest and later experiencing the emotional toll of recovery, she found herself confronting not only the challenges of managing her weight, but also the stigma that can stop people from seeking help. In this episode of The Beat , T...

Are seed oils really harmful - or just misunderstood? With misinformation spreading online, many people are questioning whether common cooking oils are safe for heart health. In this episode of The Beat , Heart Foundation dietitian Nikita Kelly breaks down the evidence behind seed oils, inflammation and cholesterol, and explains why some of the most common claims don't hold up in human studies. Yo...

Statins are one of the most widely prescribed medications in Australia, but they've also become a lightning rod for misinformation. A major global study has found that many of the side effects people blame on statins aren't actually caused by the drug. Yet the myths persist - spreading through social media, online communities and even some corners of academia. In this episode of The Beat , the Hea...

A recent study has linked long-term melatonin use with higher rates of heart failure and hospitalisation, raising questions about whether a common sleep supplement could affect heart health. In this episode of  The Beat , leading cardiologist Professor Garry Jennings explains what the research does and doesn't show, why association doesn't mean causation, and how sleep problems and disrupted body...

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are everywhere - and growing evidence shows they're harming our health. In this episode of  The Beat , we unpack the latest findings from the Lancet Ultra-Processed Foods Series, exploring what UPFs are, how they affect heart health, and why they dominate Australian diets. We also look at a pivotal moment for Australia's food system. The national food regulatory framew...

Can your daily cup of coffee actually be good for your heart? New research from the University of Adelaide suggests that moderate coffee drinkers may have a lower risk of heart disease and even live longer. In this episode, we explore what's really going on between caffeine and cardiovascular health - separating fact from froth. We speak with the study's author Professor Christopher Wong about wha...

Australian researchers have discovered that a drug already used to treat rheumatoid arthritis could hold the key to improving recovery after a heart attack. In this episode of The Beat , Dr Jonathan Noonan from the Baker Institute explains how the anti-inflammatory drug abatacept calms the immune system after a heart attack - helping the heart heal and potentially preventing heart failure in the f...

A major new Australian study has revealed that women are still missing out on life-saving treatment after a heart attack - and the gap could be costing hundreds of lives every year. In this episode, we speak with Professor Clara Chow about why these disparities persist, what the data tells us, and how Australia's health system can do better for women's hearts. To learn more about heart health - in...