Cardiovascular disease , type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease share many risk factors.
Table 1: Relationships between cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease and their risk factors
| Risk factor |
Cardiovascular disease |
Type 2 diabetes |
Chronic kidney disease |
| Overweight and obesity |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Physical inactivity |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Poor diet |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Tobacco smoking |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Excessive alcohol consumption |
yes |
no |
not confirmed |
| High blood pressure |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| High blood cholesterol |
yes |
yes |
no |
| Impaired glucose regulation |
not confirmed |
yes |
yes |
How many adults had risk factors?
In 2011–12:
- 63% were overweight or obese
- 56% were inactive or insufficiently active
- 95% of adults did not consume recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables
- 16% smoked daily
- 20% exceeded lifetime alcohol risk guidelines
- 32% had high blood pressure (including 22% with uncontrolled high blood pressure)
- 63% had dyslipidaemia (abnormal amounts of lipids such as cholesterol in the blood)
- 3% had impaired fasting glucose (indicating higher than normal blood glucose levels, known as pre-diabetes).
Multiple risk factors:
- 66% of adults had 3 or more risk factors at the same time.
- 10% had 5 or 6 risk factors.
For more information, see Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease—Australian facts: risk factors.