Risky Family Environmental Factors Linked to Adult Heart Health

TUESDAY, Jan. 30, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Risky family environmental factors in childhood are associated with increased odds of poor longitudinal adult cardiovascular health (CVH), according to a study published online Jan. 23 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Robin Ortiz, M.D., from New York University in New York City, and colleagues quantified the association between childhood family environment and longitudinal CVH in 2,074 adults from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. At years 0, 7, and 20 of the study, CVH scores (range, 0 to 14) were calculated. At year 15, risky family environment (range, 7 to 28) was assessed retrospectively for childhood experiences of abuse, caregiver warmth, and family or household challenges.

The researchers found that the median risky family environment score was 10; 28.4 and 16.3 percent of individuals met ideal CVH (≥12) at baseline and at year 20, respectively. For each one-unit greater risky family environment, the odds of attaining high CVH (≥10) decreased longitudinally (odds ratio, 0.9645). The odds of ideal CVH decreased with each unit greater child abuse score and increased with each unit greater caregiver warmth score across all 20 years of follow-up. Associations between risky family environment and CVH remained significant for those with the highest but not the lowest adult income (>$74,000 and <$35,000, respectively).

"As we look at primordial prevention of cardiovascular disease, healthy and stable childhood relationships and life-long economic equity may play a crucial role in the equitable opportunity for all to attain cardiovascular health across the life course," Ortiz said in a statement.

Abstract/Full Text

Editorial