Empirical Support for Cardiovascular Health

Recently, the American Heart Association (AHA) adopted a new and ambitious strategic goal: “by 2020, to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20% while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease by 20%.”1 In the process, it defined a new concept, cardiovascular health, which comprises 7 components: 4 ideal health behaviors (nonsmoking, body mass index <25 kg/m2, physical activity at goal levels, and a diet consistent with current recommendations) together with 3 ideal health factors (untreated total cholesterol <200 mg/dL, untreated blood pressure <120/<80 mm Hg, and fasting blood glucose <100 mg/dL). This new approach emphasizes prevention with a focus on achieving and sustaining desirable behaviors.Articles see pp 987 and 996At the time of the AHA report, the health benefits of each of the 7 individual components were well supported by available literature. A few studies had also defined the relationship of clusters of ideal levels of risk factors and behaviors and had assessed their relationship with health outcomes, quality of life, and cost.2–6 Specifically, Stamler defined low cardiovascular risk as a cluster of optimal levels of traditional cardiovascular risk factors,3 whereas Stampfer defined a cluster of ideal lifestyle behaviors.4 Yet, in 2010, when the AHA published its 2020 strategic goal, there was no available research on the new metric, cardiovascular health. In the current issue of Circulation , 2 articles address this gap and provide complementary data related to cardiovascular health or at least a forme fruste.Liu et al7 assessed the relationship between adopting a healthy lifestyle during young adulthood and the prevalence of a low cardiovascular-risk profile in middle age. The research was conducted in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) cohort study, which enrolled young adults …