Free lung function tests have been carried out across the nation as part of Global Test Your Lungs Day.

Each year lung disease causes more than 19,000 deaths across the country and the Australian Lung Foundation wants to reduce that number.

Lesley Price reports.

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TRANSCRIPT

Queenslanders put their health to the test with hundreds heading to Queen Street Mall to have their lungs checked.

The Australian Lung Foundation was offering free spirometry testing as part of The International Year of the Lung.

And with Asthma Australia, they’re urging people to think about their lung health.

Chris Emery, Australian Lung Foundation: “The response has been fantastic today, since 8 o’clock we haven’t had a machine not being used by a technician testing a potential patient’s outcome.”

Approximately 2.1 million Australian’s have lung problems and by 2050 this figure is expected to more than double to 4.5 million.

Experts say people need to be aware it’s not just smokers who can potentially suffer.

Dr. Philip Masel, Lung Expert: “I just want to make people aware that not only of course you can have childhood asthma which can continue on in life but you can actually develop asthma later in life and we may in fact pick that up on the test like today.”

In Australia each year lung disease causes nearly 350 thousand hospitalisations, it is recommended by your doctor that you get checked once a year.

The event was run by a team of health professionals who provided advice on how to prevent, manage and treat lung problems.

The message from today a simple visit to your GP could save your life.

Lesley Price, QUT News.