A new Australian study has revealed that sitting at a desk - or even in front of the television - for extended periods of time may be impacting on our health and wellbeing.

Results of a survey conducted by the University of Sydney - recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine - concluded that too much time sitting has an effect on lifespan, regardless of your fitness level.

The three-year study found that respondents over the age of 45 who were sedentary for at least 11 hours a day had a 40 per cent increased risk of dying during the study.

The federal government is encouraging Australians to address the level of sodium in their current diet as part of World Salt Awareness Week.

Australian adults should limit their intake of salt to no more than 6 grams - or one and a half teaspoons - a day, according to the National Health and Medical Research Council.

However, parliamentary secretary for health and ageing Catherine King believes that Australians consume too much sodium - primarily in the form of salt.

New research into chronic disease has revealed that most Australians have at least one preventable risk factor.

A report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on March 27 has indicated that diet and exercise are two of the most common risk factors.

According to the national agency, over 90 per cent of Australians are failing to consume the recommended amount of vegetables each day - and only half of adults consume enough fruit.

An iconic Sydney hospital catering to patients with private health insurance has launched a new health service for young people dealing with depression and other mental illnesses.

St Vincent's Hospital has opened the door to its Young Adult Mental Health Service unit today (March 27), providing the first private early intervention in-patient facility in Australia.

The new unit features a 20 in-patient bed service for those aged between 16 and 30, as well as extensive day program and after-care treatment.

The partner of a leading Australian businessman is urging men across the country to change how they view visits to their local doctor.

Patricia Ilhan - widow of Crazy John mobile phone entrepreneur John Ilhan - has spoken about her experience, explaining that her husband, aged 42, died while jogging in 2007.

"I think if John had had paid more attention to his health, he would still be alive today," she told the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday (March 22).

The last decade has seen a decrease in the number of heart disease deaths, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Figures released in the Causes of Death, Australia, 2010 report yesterday (March 20) indicated that the proportion of lives claimed by the disease fell by five per cent compared to 2001, dropping to a total of 21,708.

The mortality rate of circulatory diseases also fell by 6 per cent, dropping to 32 per cent of all deaths in the country.

A new Australian study has found that lifestyle changes such as improved diet and increased exercise could help to prevent one-quarter of cancers by 2025.

The findings - published by Cancer Council researchers in the Medical Journal of Australia today (March 19) - predicts that the number of diagnosed cancer cases will rise by 60 per cent in the next 13 years.

According to the research, bowel cancer has the greatest potential for prevention through diet and exercise, with more than 10,000 cases found to be 'avoidable'.

A new tool to help take the guesswork out of sticking to a balanced diet has been launched by the NSW Food Authority.

The 8700kJ campaign, launched on March 1, aims to educate Australians about the food they consume and how to make more balanced food choices.

A new website is available - as well as an iPhone, iPad and Android app - to help consumers calculate their ideal kilojoule intake, search for common foods and learn what level of exercise would be required to burn the off the energy.

Australia's national peak body for diabetes has warned that the rate of the condition is likely to at least double in Australia over the next decade, with Generation Y hardest hit.

Diabetes Australia has released a national assessment today (March 14), suggesting that one in three members of Generation Y will be affected by the disease by 2025.

Children aged between 12- and 15-years-old are spending at least 14 hours a week in front of electronic screens, leading to increasing poor health, according to the latest report from the Queensland government.

The state government's Child Health Status 2011 Report indicated that the increasing time spent glued to television or computer screens, as well as handheld gaming devices, corresponded with a 2.6 per cent rise in obesity rates.