Do you know the risk factors of stroke? That’s the question Stroke Foundation is asking all Australians in a national effort to reduce incidence of stroke in Australia.
New data from Stroke Foundation’s 2025 F.A.S.T. National Awareness Survey, which tests Australians’ knowledge of the common signs and risks of stroke, highlighted that not enough Australians are aware of the daily habits or lifestyle factors that may be putting them at greater risk of experiencing a stroke.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy, says knowing the modifiable risk factors of stroke could save your life.
Modifiable risk factors are behaviours, conditions or health contributors that you can change, treat, or manage to reduce your chances of developing chronic conditions. For stroke, these include uncontrolled high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, stress, excess weight, and physical inactivity.
Stroke Foundation’s survey found that around one in three Australian adults don’t know high blood pressure is a modifiable risk factor, while nearly two in five fail to recognise smoking as a risk factor.
When it comes to high cholesterol and stress, the lack of awareness is even more alarming, with nearly half of all surveyed not being aware that high cholesterol and stress are both important risk factors. At 44 per cent, lack of physical activity is the stroke risk factor with the lowest awareness.
One stroke every eleven minutes
Stroke is one of Australia’s leading causes of death and disability, with around 46,000 stroke events impacting Australians of all ages every year – that’s one stroke every 11 minutes. Stroke Foundation is calling on all Aussies to help bring this number down.
’80 per cent of strokes are preventable so the good news is you can lower your risk of stroke by making changes in your life such as exercising regularly, quitting smoking, eating a healthy balanced diet and reducing your alcohol intake,’ Dr Murphy said.
The single biggest risk factor for stroke is high blood pressure. It is also the leading risk factor for death in Australia and contributes to around 40 per cent of all stroke events in the country.
‘A quick and painless blood pressure check or checking in with you GP can be all it takes for someone to change their lifestyle and reduce their stroke risk,’ said Dr Murphy.
‘When 80 per cent of all strokes are preventable, why would you not want to know your risk?’
