Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 10, 2026
Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges
Published on: February 25, 2016
Associations Between Childhood Cognition and Cardiovascular Events in Adulthood: A Systematic Review and
Kathleen G Dobson1, Cheryl H T Chow2, Katherine M Morrison3
1Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
Lower childhood IQ is linked to higher adult cardiovascular disease risk. This systematic review highlights the importance of early cognitive function for long-term heart health.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Cardiovascular health interventions rely on early cognitive function.
- Childhood cognition is a critical factor for lifelong health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review studies on childhood cognition and adult cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.
- To synthesize evidence on the association between early cognitive function and later CVD risk.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review following Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines.
- Literature search across EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and CINAHL databases.
- Inclusion of five longitudinal studies examining childhood cognition and adult CVD.
Main Results:
- A pooled relative risk of 1.23 (95% CI, 1.12-1.34) per SD decrease in childhood IQ for unadjusted CVD events.
- An adjusted relative risk of 1.16 (95% CI, 1.07-1.26) for CVD events after accounting for confounding factors.
- Significant association between lower childhood IQ and increased adult CVD risk.
Conclusions:
- Lower childhood IQ is an independent risk factor for adult cardiovascular events.
- Understanding mediating behavioral mechanisms is crucial for optimizing cardiovascular health.
- Early cognitive function is a significant predictor of long-term cardiovascular outcomes.
Background:
The success of behavioural interventions to optimize cardiovascular health is dependent on adequate cognitive functioning beginning in early life. In this study we aimed to systematically review studies that examined associations between childhood cognition and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in adulthood.
Methods:
This study followed the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines to systematically examine associations between childhood cognition and adult CVD, coronary heart disease, and stroke hospitalization or mortality events. Literature was retrieved from EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and CINAHL.
Results:
Five longitudinal studies that examined links between childhood cognition and CVD in adulthood were included. Pooled estimates of unadjusted CVD events indicated a relative risk of 1.23 (95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.34) per standard deviation decrease in childhood IQ, whereas the pooled estimate adjusted for biopsychosocial confounding factors indicated an overall relative risk of 1.16 (95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.26).
Conclusions:
Lower childhood IQ is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events in adulthood, even after adjustment for confounding variables. Future research should examine the behavioural mechanisms by which these risks are mediated to optimize cardiovascular health.
