Achieving Optimal Cardiovascular Health: a Social Epidemiological Approach

Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in children at risk of acute myocardial infarction: A comprehensive review

While acute myocardial infarction is rare in children, a part of the pediatric population is at a higher risk due to preexisting non-modifiable conditions. To mitigate the risk, modifiable risk factors such as unhealthy diet or sedentary lifestyle should be controlled from childhood, promoting healthy habits from the earliest stages. The primary purpose of this review is to assess the evidence on lifestyle/nutrition related modifiable risk factor intervention on the risk of acute myocardial infarction in children found in four databases, PubMed, Embase, Scopus and WoS. After screening, 29 of 272 articles assessed met the inclusion criteria. We found evidence that a healthy lifestyle, including an adequate dietary pattern and good eating habits in childhood, reduces the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction. The data retrieved from this review are consistent with the hypothesis that a healthy lifestyle might contribute lower the risk of acute myocardial infarction in at-risk children.

Social support, psychosocial risks, and cardiovascular health: Using harmonized data from the Jackson Heart Study, Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America Study, and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Purpose

Social support may have benefits on cardiovascular health (CVH). CVH is evaluated using seven important metrics (Life's Simple 7; LS7) established by the American Heart Association (e.g., smoking, diet). However, evidence from longitudinal studies is limited and inconsistent. The objective of this study is to examine the longitudinal relationship between social support and CVH, and assess whether psychosocial risks (e.g., anger and stress) modify the relationship in a racially/ethnically diverse population.

Methods

Participants from three harmonized cohort studies - Jackson Heart Study, Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America, and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis - were included. Repeated-measures modified Poisson regression models were used to examine the overall relationship between social support (in tertiles) and CVH (LS7 metric), and to assess for effect modification by psychosocial risk.

Results

Among 7724 participants, those with high (versus low) social support had an adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for ideal or intermediate (versus poor) CVH of 0.99 (0.96-1.03). For medium (versus low) social support, the aPR (95% CI) was 1.01 (0.98-1.05). There was evidence for modification by employment and anger. Those with medium (versus low) social support had an aPR (95% CI) of 1.04 (0.99-1.10) among unemployed or low anger participants. Corresponding results for employed or high anger participants were 0.99 (0.94-1.03) and 0.97 (0.91-1.03), respectively.

Conclusion

Overall, we observed no strong evidence for an association between social support and CVH. However, some psychosocial risks may be modifiers. Prospective studies are needed to assess the social support-CVH relationship by psychosocial risks in racially/ethnically diverse populations.

Meal-to-meal and day-to-day macronutrient variation in an ad libitum vending food paradigm

BACKGROUND

Theory posits that macronutrient intake is regulated by protein consumption and adequate intake of protein results in consumption of less carbohydrates and fat. The current study investigates the effect of protein intake on calorie and macronutrient content using an ad libitum vending machine paradigm.

METHODS

Healthy volunteers (n = 287; 177 m; Age = 36 ± 11; BMI = 32 ± 8) were admitted to our clinical research unit. Macronutrient meal content (grams) and energy intake (Kcal) were quantified by specialized food processing software and collected on an hourly basis over a three-day period using a validated ad libitum vending machine paradigm. Body composition was assessed by DXA. Lagged multi-level models accounting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, fat and fat free mass indices were fitted to examine the impact of prior macronutrient content on subsequent meals.

RESULTS

Protein intake was associated with decreased energy intake (Kcal; B = -1.67 kcal, p = 0.0048), lower protein and carbohydrate intake (B = -0.08 g, p = 0.0006; B = -0.21 g, p = 0.0003, respectively) at subsequent meals. Daily Macronutrient intake and subsequent intake were positively associated.

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary protein exhibits a negative regulatory effect on a short-term meal-to-meal rather than day-to-day basis. In the setting of readily available food, protein intake impacts energy intake only over very short time courses.

Financial strain and ideal cardiovascular health in middle-aged and older women: Data from the Women's health study

Financial strain is a prevalent form of psychosocial stress in the United States; however, information about the relationship between financial strain and cardiovascular health remains sparse, particularly in older women.

METHODS

The cross-sectional association between financial strain and ideal cardiovascular health were examined in the Women's Health Study follow-up cohort (N = 22,048; mean age = 72± 6.0 years).Six self-reported measures of financial strain were summed together to create a financial strain index and categorized into 4 groups: No financial strain, 1 stressor, 2 stressors, and 3+ stressors. Ideal cardiovascular health was based on the American Heart Association strategic 2020 goals metric, including tobacco use, body mass index, physical activity, diet, blood pressure, total cholesterol and diabetes mellitus. Cardiovascular health was examined as continuous and a categorical outcome (ideal, intermediate, and poor). Statistical analyses adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, education and income.

RESULTS

At least one indicator of financial strain was reported by 16% of participants. Number of financial stressors was associated with lower ideal cardiovascular health, and this association persisted after adjustment for potential confounders (1 financial stressor (FS): B = -0.10, 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) = -0.13, -0.07; 2 FS: B = -0.20, 95% CI = -0.26, -0.15; 3+ FS: B = -0.44, 95% CI = -0.50, -0.38).

CONCLUSION

Financial strain was associated with lower ideal cardiovascular health in middle aged and older female health professional women. The results of this study have implications for the potential cardiovascular health benefit of financial protections for older individuals.