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Cardiovascular Health Among Young Men and Women in Puerto Rico as Assessed by the Life's Essential 8 Metrics
Cynthia M Pérez1, Andrea López-Cepero2, Israel Almodóvar-Rivera3
1Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus San Juan PR USA.
Insights
Cardiovascular health (CVH) is suboptimal in young adults in Puerto Rico, with men exhibiting poorer CVH than women. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve cardiovascular health in this population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Cardiology
- Sociology
Background:
- Cardiovascular health (CVH) in young adulthood is a critical predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk later in life.
- Ideal CVH levels are not met by young adults in the United States, with documented sex-based disparities.
- Limited research exists on CVH among young adults in Puerto Rico.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current state of cardiovascular health (CVH) in a cohort of young adults in Puerto Rico.
- To investigate and identify significant sex-based differences in CVH among these young adults.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 2162 young adults (aged 18-29) in Puerto Rico from the PR-OUTLOOK study (2020-2023).
- Derived CVH scores (0-100 scale) from surveys, physical exams, and laboratory results.
- Employed linear regression with margins postestimation to calculate adjusted mean CVH scores by sex, controlling for covariates.
Main Results:
- A significant majority (72.6%) of the cohort exhibited less-than-ideal CVH (score < 80).
- Men demonstrated significantly lower adjusted mean overall CVH scores compared to women (70.7 vs. 73.0).
- Specific sex differences included lower scores for men in nicotine exposure, non-HDL cholesterol, and blood pressure, while women had lower physical activity scores.
Conclusions:
- Suboptimal cardiovascular health is prevalent among young adults in Puerto Rico, with men showing worse outcomes than women.
- The identified sex disparities in CVH warrant further in-depth investigation.
- Development of tailored interventions is crucial to enhance and preserve cardiovascular health in this demographic.
Background:
Cardiovascular health (CVH) in young adulthood is associated with CVD in later life, yet CVH in young adults in the United States falls below ideal levels, with noticeable sex differences. Research on CVH in young adults in Puerto Rico is scarce. This study examined CVH and sex differences in CVH in a large cohort of young adults in Puerto Rico.
Methods And Results:
Data from 2162 Puerto Rican young adults aged 18 to 29 residing in PR were obtained from the PR-OUTLOOK (Puerto Rico Young Adults' Stress, Contextual, Behavioral, and Cardiometabolic Risk) study (2020-2023). Participants were recruited through various media and community outreach. CVH scores, graded on a 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scale, were derived from survey responses, physical exams, and laboratory assays. Linear regression with the margins postestimation command was used to determine adjusted means (95% CIs) for CVH scores by sex, controlling for age, marital status, education, childhood material deprivation, subjective social status, health insurance, and depressive symptoms. CVH was less than ideal (score<80) in 72.6% of the cohort (70.5% of women, 75.9% of men, P<0.05). Men had a significantly lower adjusted mean overall CVH score than women (70.7 versus 73.0) and lower adjusted mean scores for nicotine exposure (78.3 versus 86.7), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (80.6 versus 86.4), and blood pressure (79.5 versus 92.2). Women had a significantly lower adjusted mean physical activity score compared with men (50.4 versus 59.5).
Conclusions:
Less-than-ideal CVH is notable among young adults, with men having worse CVH than women. These identified sex differences warrant further investigation and the design of interventions to enhance and preserve CVH.
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