We are an unhealthy nation – this much is true and we all admit it. We have high obesity rates and a lot of people still smoke and drink too much – all of which contribute towards heart disease.

Over the years – particularly the last decade or so – countless campaigns have been launched to try and help prevent heart disease. These range from kick the habit campaigns in terms of smoking, active lifestyle promotion and awareness campaigns to promote healthy eating and smaller portions of food.

We are often quick to point out anything negative, but a study carried out across Europe has found that Malta has shown one of the largest decreases in heart disease mortality rates since 1980.

The study was carried out by the British Heart Foundation and showed that Malta was second behind Denmark in showing a decrease. Malta registered a 59.5% drop.

Almost all countries in the EU have demonstrated very large and significant decreases in death rates from coronary heart disease in the last three decades among both men and women when all ages were considered together. In many countries, age-standardised mortality rates in 2005–09 were less than half what they were in 1980–84.

But Malta’s figures were even better, showing a decrease of almost 60% - a full 10 percentage points better than the average rate. Some might say that this could reflect that pre-1980, our eating habits and treatment facilities left a lot to be desired, resulting in an ‘easier’ drop in fatalities.

The figures are quite staggering.  In Malta, the age-standardised mortality per 100,000 (five year average rates) in males dropped from 409 deaths in 1980-1984 to 174 deaths in the period of 2005-2009. In females, deaths dropped from 252 in 1980-1984 to 95 in 2005-2009. The 25-year crude total percentage change was a decrease of 62% in deaths among women and 57% among men in Malta.

Researchers who compiled the report said better drugs and less smoking have helped improve trends, however cardiovascular diseases (predominantly coronary heart disease and stroke), remain the main cause of death in most European countries, and many risk factors for coronary heart disease, particularly obesity, have been increasing substantially.

Statistics given by the Health Ministry in 2010 showed that 40% of deaths in Malta were caused by cardiovascular disease. It is hypothesised that observed reductions in coronary heart disease mortality have occurred largely within older age groups, and that rates in younger groups may be plateauing or increasing as the gains from reduced smoking rates are increasingly cancelled out by increasing rates of obesity and diabetes.

It is clear that a lot has been achieved in the last 20 years or so, but increasing bad habits among youngsters might outdo all the hard work that has been put in and all the progress registered.  Experts have predicted that obesity will overtake smoking as the leading cause of heart disease related deaths within the next 30 years. At the end of the day, care and drugs can be the best in the world, but ultimately, it is up to the individual to lead a healthy lifestyle and look after themselves.