Dr Lyn Roberts AM

Recent Speaker

Heart Foundation National Chief Executive

April 15, 2009

Fighting heart disease: past success, future challenge"

Broadcast live on ABC1 at 12.30pm.  Repeat at 3.25am.

Australia became a leader in the fight against heart disease when it turned the tide on rising death rates in the 1960s. Since then, death rates from cardiovascular disease have been in steady decline. There is, however, no room for complacency. Cardiovascular disease is still the biggest killer of Australians (34% of all deaths) and a major cause of disability. As the Heart Foundation marks its 50th year, Dr Roberts will outline future challenges as the number of people with cardiovascular disease is set to rise as the population ages, grows and some risk factors, such as overweight and obesity, become increasingly common.


Dr Lyn Roberts has been CEO of the National Heart Foundation of Australia since 2001and is currently Vice President of the World Heart Federation. Dr Roberts has developed national cardiovascular health programs within Australia, has been extensively involved with cancer prevention programs and is regarded as an expert on tobacco control matters.  She is a member of a number of expert advisory committees for the government and non-government sectors including the National Preventative Health Taskforce. She is Chair of the Taskforce's Obesity Working Group and was Chair of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA) (members: Cancer Council Australia, Diabetes Australia, Kidney Health Australia, National Stroke Foundation, National Heart Foundation of Australia) from 1999 to 2008.  In 1997, Dr Roberts was awarded an Order of Australia (AM) for service to the community and to health, particularly in the fields of health promotion, cancer prevention awareness and lifestyle education.