Open AccessIdeal Cardiovascular Health in Young Adult Populations From the U nited S tates, F inland, and A ustralia and Its Association With cIMT : The I nternational C hildhood C ardiovascular C ohort C onsortium
Author(s) -
Oikonen Mervi,
Laitinen Tomi T.,
Magnussen Costan G.,
Steinberger Julia,
Sinaiko Alan R.,
Dwyer Terence,
Venn Alison,
Smith Kylie J.,
HutriKähönen Nina,
Pahkala Katja,
Mikkilä Vera,
Prineas Ronald,
Viikari Jorma S. A.,
Morrison John A.,
Woo Jessica G.,
Chen Wei,
Nicklas Theresa,
Srinivasan Sathanur R.,
Berenson Gerald,
Juonala Markus,
Raitakari Olli T.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of the american heart association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.494
H-Index - 85
ISSN - 2047-9980
DOI - 10.1161/jaha.113.000244
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiovascular health , cohort , body mass index , intima media thickness , demography , ideal (ethics) , cohort study , gerontology , disease , carotid arteries , philosophy , epistemology , sociology
Background Goals for cardiovascular ( CV ) disease prevention were set by the A merican H eart A ssociation in 2010 for the concept of CV health. Ideal CV health is defined by 7 CV health metrics: blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, body mass index, and physical activity on recommended levels; nonsmoking; and a healthy diet. We studied the prevalence of ideal CV health and its associations with ultrasonographically measured carotid intima‐media thickness ( cIMT ) cross‐sectionally in 5 international populations. Methods and Results Prevalence of ideal CV health was assessed among 5785 young adults (age, 36.6±3.2 years) comprising 335 participants from the M inneapolis C hildhood C ohort S tudies ( M innesota), 723 from the P rinceton F ollow‐up S tudy, 981 from the B ogalusa H eart S tudy ( BHS ), 1898 from the C ardiovascular R isk in Y oung F inns S tudy ( YFS ), and 1848 from the C hildhood D eterminants of A dult H ealth S tudy ( CDAH ). Only 1% of the participants had all 7 ideal CV health metrics. The number of ideal CV health metrics associated inversely with cIMT in the 4 cohorts in which cIMT was available: for each additional ideal CV health metric, cIMT was 12.7 μm thinner in M innesota ( P =0.0002), 9.1 μm thinner in BHS ( P =0.05), 10.4 μm thinner in YFS ( P <0.0001), and 3.4 μm thinner in CDAH ( P =0.03). Conclusions The number of ideal CV health metrics was inversely associated with cIMT in the cohorts in which cIMT was available, indicating that ideal CV health metrics are associated with vascular health at the population level. Ideal CV health was rare in this large international sample of young adults, emphasizing the need for effective strategies for health promotion.