Relationships between physical activity, diet and use of lipid-lowering drug therapy in cardiovascular disease

This thesis examines associations between lifestyle behaviours (physical activity and diet), lipid-lowering drug therapy (LLT) and adherence to lifestyle guidelines in Australian adults. We found that most adults do not adhere to lifestyle guidelines, irrespective of LLT status. We developed and validated a tool to measure the intake of core food groups and identified common barriers encountered by older adults to achieving recommended lifestyle behaviours. This work demonstrates the complexity of the relationship and highlights the need for targeted strategies to improve adherence to lifestyle behaviours, thereby optimising CVD risk management.