title: Prospective relationship of change in ideal cardiovascular health status and arterial stiffness: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2010, the American Heart Association defined ideal cardiovascular health as the simultaneous presence of 4 favorable health behaviors (nonsmoking, ideal body mass index, physical activity at goal, and dietary pattern that promotes cardiovascular health) and 3 favorable health factors (ideal levels of total cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose). The association between a change in ideal cardiovascular health status and pulse wave velocity, a surrogate marker of cardiovascular disease, has not been reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study cohort consisted of 1143 white adults from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study who were followed for 21 years since baseline (1986). This cohort was divided in 2 subgroups: 803 participants (aged 9 to 18 years at baseline) to study the health status change from childhood to adulthood and 340 participants (aged 21 to 24 years at baseline) to study health status change from young adulthood to middle age. The change in the ideal cardiovascular health index was inversely associated with pulse wave velocity (adjusted for age, sex, and heart rate), every 1-point increase corresponded to a 0.09-m/s (P<0.001) decrease in pulse wave velocity in both groups. This association remained significant in subgroups based on the ideal cardiovascular health index at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The change in ideal cardiovascular health status, both from childhood to adulthood and from young adulthood to middle age, was an independent predictor of adult pulse wave velocity. Our results support the concept of ideal cardiovascular health as a useful tool for primordial prevention of cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aatola
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hutri-Kähönen
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juonala
authors.forename: Tomi T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pahkala
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mikkilä
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Telama
authors.forename: Teemu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koivistoinen
authors.forename: Terho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
authors.forename: Jorma S A
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Viikari
authors.forename: Olli T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Raitakari
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kähönen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D013997:Time Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: epidemiology; ideal cardiovascular health; pulse wave velocity