Depression and Anxiety Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults

Background Cardiovascular health (CVH) declines in young adulthood, and mood disorders commonly emerge during this life stage. This study examined the association between depression, anxiety, and CVH metrics among young adults. Methods and Results We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of participa...

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Main Authors: Sierra L. Patterson, Michele Marcus, Margarethe Goetz, Viola Vaccarino, Holly C. Gooding
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-12-01
Series:Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.122.027610
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author Sierra L. Patterson
Michele Marcus
Margarethe Goetz
Viola Vaccarino
Holly C. Gooding
author_facet Sierra L. Patterson
Michele Marcus
Margarethe Goetz
Viola Vaccarino
Holly C. Gooding
author_sort Sierra L. Patterson
collection DOAJ
description Background Cardiovascular health (CVH) declines in young adulthood, and mood disorders commonly emerge during this life stage. This study examined the association between depression, anxiety, and CVH metrics among young adults. Methods and Results We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of participants aged 18 to 34 years who completed the Emory Healthy Aging Study Health History Questionnaire (n=875). We classified participants as having poor, intermediate, or ideal levels of the 8 CVH metrics using definitions set forth by the American Heart Association with adaptions when necessary. We defined depression and anxiety as absent, mild, or moderate to severe using standard cutoffs for Patient Health Questionnaire and General Anxiety Disorder scales. We used multivariable regression to examine the association between depression and anxiety and CVH, adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, income, and education. The mean participant age was 28.3 years, and the majority identified as women (724; 82.7%); 129 (14.7%) participants had moderate to severe anxiety, and 128 (14.6%) participants had moderate to severe depression. Compared with those without anxiety, participants with moderate to severe anxiety were less likely to meet ideal levels of physical activity (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 0.60 [95% CI, 0.44–0.82]), smoking (aPR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.82–0.99]), and body mass index (aPR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.66–0.95]). Participants with moderate to severe depression were less likely than those without depression to meet ideal levels of physical activity (aPR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.34–0.69]), body mass index (aPR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.61–0.91]), sleep (aPR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.66–0.94]), and blood pressure (aPR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.86–0.99]). Conclusions Anxiety and depression are associated with less ideal CVH in young adults. Interventions targeting CVH behaviors such as physical activity, diet, and sleep may improve both mood and CVH.
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spelling doaj.art-3d96c5058267480d817d47b0e43c75412023-02-07T16:03:49ZengWileyJournal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease2047-99802022-12-01112410.1161/JAHA.122.027610Depression and Anxiety Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health in Young AdultsSierra L. Patterson0Michele Marcus1Margarethe Goetz2Viola Vaccarino3Holly C. Gooding4Department of Epidemiology University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill NCDepartment of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Atlanta GADepartment of Neurology Duke University Durham NCDepartment of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Atlanta GADepartment of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA United StatesBackground Cardiovascular health (CVH) declines in young adulthood, and mood disorders commonly emerge during this life stage. This study examined the association between depression, anxiety, and CVH metrics among young adults. Methods and Results We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of participants aged 18 to 34 years who completed the Emory Healthy Aging Study Health History Questionnaire (n=875). We classified participants as having poor, intermediate, or ideal levels of the 8 CVH metrics using definitions set forth by the American Heart Association with adaptions when necessary. We defined depression and anxiety as absent, mild, or moderate to severe using standard cutoffs for Patient Health Questionnaire and General Anxiety Disorder scales. We used multivariable regression to examine the association between depression and anxiety and CVH, adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, income, and education. The mean participant age was 28.3 years, and the majority identified as women (724; 82.7%); 129 (14.7%) participants had moderate to severe anxiety, and 128 (14.6%) participants had moderate to severe depression. Compared with those without anxiety, participants with moderate to severe anxiety were less likely to meet ideal levels of physical activity (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 0.60 [95% CI, 0.44–0.82]), smoking (aPR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.82–0.99]), and body mass index (aPR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.66–0.95]). Participants with moderate to severe depression were less likely than those without depression to meet ideal levels of physical activity (aPR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.34–0.69]), body mass index (aPR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.61–0.91]), sleep (aPR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.66–0.94]), and blood pressure (aPR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.86–0.99]). Conclusions Anxiety and depression are associated with less ideal CVH in young adults. Interventions targeting CVH behaviors such as physical activity, diet, and sleep may improve both mood and CVH.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.122.027610anxietycardiovascular healthdepressionyoung adults
spellingShingle Sierra L. Patterson
Michele Marcus
Margarethe Goetz
Viola Vaccarino
Holly C. Gooding
Depression and Anxiety Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults
Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease
anxiety
cardiovascular health
depression
young adults
title Depression and Anxiety Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults
title_full Depression and Anxiety Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults
title_fullStr Depression and Anxiety Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults
title_full_unstemmed Depression and Anxiety Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults
title_short Depression and Anxiety Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults
title_sort depression and anxiety are associated with cardiovascular health in young adults
topic anxiety
cardiovascular health
depression
young adults
url https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.122.027610
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AT violavaccarino depressionandanxietyareassociatedwithcardiovascularhealthinyoungadults
AT hollycgooding depressionandanxietyareassociatedwithcardiovascularhealthinyoungadults