A recent study published in JAMA Cardiology reveals that cardiovascular health (CVH) trajectories in children begin to decline around age 10, exposing significant health disparities among different socioeconomic and racial groups. The research, conducted by Dr. Issuddin Aris and colleagues at Harvard Medical School, analyzed data from 1,523 children in the Massachusetts-based Project Viva cohort from 1999 to 2023.
The study utilized the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 metrics to measure CVH at four stages of development: early childhood, midchildhood, early adolescence, and late adolescence. Results showed a steady decline in CVH scores from midchildhood (84.1) to late adolescence (73.8).
Gender differences were observed, with boys experiencing faster CVH gains before age 10 but steeper declines afterward compared to girls. More concerning were the disparities along racial and socioeconomic lines. Non-Hispanic Black children and those with mothers having less education consistently showed lower CVH scores throughout development.
Maternal education emerged as a significant factor, with children of college-educated mothers maintaining higher CVH scores across all stages. While household income was not directly linked to trajectory parameters, children from lower-income families tended to have lower overall scores.
Notably, behavioral factors such as diet, sleep, and physical activity were found to be more significant drivers of CVH decline than biological factors like cholesterol or blood pressure. This finding highlights the importance of addressing modifiable behaviors to mitigate long-term cardiovascular risks.
Dr. Aris emphasized the need for future studies to examine pre- and perinatal correlates of CVH trajectory parameters and their potential to predict future cardiovascular disease outcomes. The study’s limitations include reliance on self-reported data for behavioral metrics and a predominantly homogeneous population, which may affect the generalizability of findings.
See: “Trajectory of cardiovascular health across childhood and adolescence” (December 18, 2024)
