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Vital Signs: Predicted Heart Age and Racial Disparities in Heart Age Among U.S. Adults at the State Level

Quanhe Yang, Yuna Zhong, Matthew Ritchey

    MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
    |September 4, 2015
    PubMed

    Insights

    Adults in the U.S. have a predicted heart age significantly older than their chronological age, with disparities observed across racial, sociodemographic, and regional groups. This highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve cardiovascular health.

    Area of Science:

    • Cardiovascular disease epidemiology
    • Public health disparities
    • Preventive cardiology

    Background:

    • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of death in the U.S.
    • Heart age, a measure of vascular system age based on risk factors, offers a novel approach to communicating CVD risk.
    • Understanding disparities in heart age is crucial for public health interventions.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To estimate heart age and excess heart age (difference between heart age and chronological age) in U.S. adults aged 30-74.
    • To examine racial, sociodemographic, and regional disparities in heart age.
    • To inform public health strategies for CVD prevention.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized weighted 2011 and 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data.
    • Applied sex-specific Framingham risk score models, stratified by demographics and region.
    • Calculated age-standardized heart age and mean excess heart age.

    Main Results:

    • Average predicted heart age was 7.8 years older for men and 5.4 years for women than their chronological age.
    • Non-Hispanic Black men and women exhibited higher heart ages compared to other racial/ethnic groups.
    • Significant regional variations in excess heart age were found, with Mississippi showing the highest and Utah the lowest.

    Conclusions:

    • Predicted heart age in U.S. adults significantly exceeds chronological age, indicating elevated cardiovascular risk.
    • Heart age can simplify risk communication and motivate lifestyle changes and treatment adherence.
    • Addressing disparities in heart age is essential for community-level cardiovascular health initiatives.
    Abstract

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