ADOPTING heart-healthy habits at an early age can drastically reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke later in life. Although this is often repeated as a general rule, a new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open shows precisely how decisions made in youth are related to cardiovascular health in older years, reports Healthline .
Four decades of monitoring
The study followed more than 4,200 participants aged 18 to 30 for nearly 40 years. Researchers found that heart health patterns are established very early, with most participants having developed habits by the age of 25 that remained stable throughout their lives.
The American Heart Association’s (AHA) Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) scoring system was used to assess overall heart health, which includes factors such as diet, exercise, sleep quality, smoking, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
Habits from youth predict the future
The results were clear, those who had high LE8 scores in their youth generally maintained good heart health, while those with poor scores continued to decline. These differences had real consequences. People with poor cardiovascular health in their early years had up to a tenfold higher risk of developing heart disease later in life.
“The original purpose of the study was to understand how we transition from healthy young adults to middle-aged people who develop risk factors,” explained Dr. Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, a cardiologist and senior author of the study.
“What we found is that if you had a high score, you tended to maintain it. And the worse you were at the start, the more it tended to decline over time. People with a persistently high LE8 score had by far the fewest cardiac events,” Lloyd-Jones told Healthline.
Dr. Eiman Jahangir of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, who was not involved in the study, agreed with the results. “This study suggests that the trajectory of cardiovascular health established by age 25 is difficult to change in the future. Therefore, early education and intervention are essential,” Jahangir said.
It’s never too late to change.
Although healthy habits are most beneficial during youth, experts emphasize that improving lifestyle at any age brings benefits.
“Guided by these healthier trajectories, children are more likely to stay at the top of that group with the best cardiovascular health throughout their lifespan. These people will live longer and with fewer chronic diseases. I think that’s a real win,” Lloyd-Jones said.
He also added: “It’s never too late to change. Yes, the earlier you start, the greater the impact, but it will always help, it will always improve your outcomes.”
Dr. Jahangir recommends a preventative approach: “Primary prevention remains our number one tool in the fight against heart disease. This includes annual checkups with a primary care physician to check blood pressure, check cholesterol as indicated, and counsel on diet, exercise, and smoking cessation,” he emphasized.
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