A pilot program is taking a new approach to heart health, putting young people and their connection to culture, community and Country at its core. 

Strait from the Heart centres on the idea that prevention needs to start early and draw on the strengths and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

A key focus of the nutrition and physical activity initiative is building local capacity to ensure the program can be embedded in communities. 

What does a deadly heart mean to you?

It's a question Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people will soon be invited to explore. 

It's one of a series of interactive activities co-designed with the community for a new pilot program that draws on cultural knowledge, lived experience and storytelling to strengthen heart health. 

Strait from the Heart takes a holistic approach to reducing cardiovascular health risks and aims to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and, ultimately, prevent cardiovascular disease.

Strait From the Heart artwork created by Xavier Passi

A different approach to heart health care 

The 12-month program has grown from a longstanding relationship with communities in Townsville in Far North Queensland. 

Community members yarned with us about the need for a culturally appropriate nutrition and physical activity program that reflects the strengths, priorities and lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. 

They also identified the target age group, young people aged 15 to 18, who may be forming habits now that can impact their heart health into adulthood. 

Our initial engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members in Townsville has already provided valuable insights as the co-design process begins. 

Our community partner expressed that food security is an important community priority, demonstrating the value of community knowledge and leadership in shaping nutrition and health initiatives. 

Food security is also an important factor to consider when designing nutrition and health programs because it is associated with cardiovascular risk factors. 

Aligned with research best practice, Strait from the Heart is guided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership through a steering committee. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Research Governance Group will oversee the program at every stage. 

Fostering community strengths to build a healthier future 

Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest preventable health challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. 

While care has improved and mortality rates have declined, cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and often occurs earlier in life and at higher rates than among non-Indigenous Australians. 

But closing the gap in cardiovascular disease requires more than focusing on changing individual behaviour. 

Consideration also needs to be given to the social, cultural and environmental factors that influence heart health. 

A strengths-based approach is key to supporting heart health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Food, culture and movement come together 

For millennia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' food systems have been connected to Country, family, culture and community. 

Our program recognises this enduring connection and how this knowledge has been passed down through generations. 

It promotes culture by looking at diet in a holistic way, exploring not just what people eat, but why they eat it, what food is available and how it is culturally valued. 

The program's nutrition content is shaped around foods that are culturally acceptable and considers the social, cultural and environmental factors that influence people's diets. 

It has three main components: 

• Kai Kai Club: Breakfast packs provided alongside short nutrition education information 
• Kai Kai Program: A series of nutrition sessions, as well as cultural and skill-building workshops 
• Stay Strong Squad: An opportunity for young people to participate in physical activity of their choice with local sporting teams, services and activities 

It will use stories and art to share health information, reflecting relevant and grounded approaches to sharing knowledge. 

There is a strong emphasis on capacity building, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community partners, Elders and community members delivering the Kai Kai Program. (Kai Kai means food or to eat in Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole), which is widely spoken and understood in North Queensland.) 

This approach facilitates learning across generations (young people, parents and Elders) to support the preservation of cultural knowledge and traditions. 

The program will be offered to up to 20 young people and their families during 2027, with the aim of making conversations about heart health care more accessible. 

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' food systems have been connected to Country, family, culture and community" (Getty)

A different way of measuring success 

Young people's health and wellbeing will be assessed at the start of the program and after 12 months, while their diets and physical activity will be measured throughout the program. 

While changes in diet, physical activity and health measures will be evaluated, Strait from the Heart is not solely about behaviour change. 

It is also about testing whether the program is acceptable, feasible and meaningful to the local community. 

Advocating for a sustainable program model 

It is about learning how to deliver cardiovascular disease prevention in a way that is culturally relevant and sustainable. 

From the outset, we are considering ways to embed Strait from the Heart as an ongoing service and resource for the community that will deliver long-term health benefits. 

We recognise that strengthening community partnerships and enhancing local capacity, combined with a governance structure that embeds key policymakers, is fundamental to achieving long-term sustainability. 

If the program is successful, it could provide a framework for other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the country. 

Dr Alyse Davies was awarded a First Nations Cardiovascular Disease grant from the National Heart Foundation to fund the program. 

Professor Bobby Porykali is a First Nations Investigator on the program, contributing to both implementation and research activities. 

Mr Brohdie Watego's research will focus on understanding the factors influencing behaviour change to support participation in the program. 

Mr Xavier Passi is supporting the implementation of the program on the ground and, as an accomplished artist, has created the program's artwork and resources. 

The project involves academics, researchers and health professionals from UniSC, the University of Sydney, the University of New South Wales, Monash University, the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health (University of Sydney), the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health (University of Queensland), The George Institute for Global Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Health and Wellbeing Queensland and Deadly Nutrition Dietitian and Nutrition Services.