The leading causes of death in the Hunter New England and Central Coast health network are coronary heart disease and dementia, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW] data shows.
For females, dementia is the highest cause of death, followed by coronary heart disease, and vice versa for males.
Coronary heart disease killed 3657 men and 2654 women in the network from 2017 to 2021, the data said.
Over this period, dementia killed 3212 women and 1809 men.
The AIHW released the data this week in a report titled Deaths in Australia.
University of Newcastle Professor Aaron Sverdlov said heart disease "remains the number one overall cause of death in the adult population pretty much everywhere in the Western world, despite all the advances in cardiology in the last 30 to 40 years".
"The death rates from heart disease have been steadily falling. Our treatments are getting better overall, but unfortunately we see a combination of environmental and lifestyle factors getting worse," Professor Sverdlov said.
Professor Sverdlov, a cardiologist and scientist, said obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure "tend to drive coronary heart disease and those things are rising".
"As people are living longer, those risk factors slowly accumulate and compound."
He urged people to look after their heart health "as early in life as possible".
"That means being physically active, having a less sedentary lifestyle, playing sport, not smoking, following a healthy diet and avoiding lots of high fat food.
"Importantly, people who are older should have their blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly."
Dementia Australia chief operating officer Anthony Boffa said "dementia can happen to anybody, but the risk increases with age".
"It depends on a combination of age, genes, health and lifestyle. It is however important to note dementia is not a normal part of ageing," Mr Boffa said.
"Being brain healthy is relevant at any age, whether you are young, old or in between. However, it is particularly important once you reach middle age, as this is when changes start to occur in the brain.
"While we cannot change getting older, genetics or family history, scientific research suggests that changing certain health and lifestyle habits may make a big difference to reducing or delaying your risk of developing dementia."
To reduce the risk for cognitive decline, the World Health Organisation recommends: Be physically active, stop smoking, eat a balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet, drink alcohol in moderation, do cognitive training, be socially active, look after your weight and hearing, and manage any hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol and depression.
Lung cancer is the third highest cause of death for men and fifth for women in the Hunter network, killing 2948 people over four years.
Cerebrovascular disease (such as stroke) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] make up the top five death causes for men and women.
Premature deaths (those under age 75) numbered 2224 men and 1453 women in the Hunter network in 2021.
The data also said 1085 men and 655 women in the network died "potentially avoidable deaths".
These types of deaths include cancers, pneumonia and influenza, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, heart failure, COPD and asthma.
They also include falls, fires, suicide, misadventure during surgery and medical care, and adverse incidents from medical devices.
Other avoidable deaths were listed as transport accidents, exposure to "animate and inanimate" mechanical forces, drowning, electrocution, accidental poisoning and contact with "venomous animals".
"Looking at how many people die and what caused their death can provide vital information about the health of a population," the AIHW report said.
"Examining patterns and trends in deaths can help explain differences and changes in the health of a population."
The report added that the trends "contribute to the evaluation of health strategies and interventions, and guide planning and policy-making".
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