title: The association between cardiovascular health and health-related quality of life and health status measures among U.S. adults: a cross-sectional study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2001-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was conducted to examine the association between ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) and health-related quality of life and health status indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study included adult NHANES participants from 2001 to 2010 without CVD (N = 7115). CVH was defined according to AHA definitions with poor, intermediate and ideal levels of the seven factors (diet, BMI, physical activity, smoking, blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol) assigned scores of 0, 1, and 2, respectively. A CVH score (CVHS) was calculated as the sum of the scores from each individual health factor (range 0-14; higher score indicating greater CVH). CVHS was categorized as poor (0-7), intermediate (8-10), and ideal (11-14). Linear regression models examined the association between CVHS category with health status and number of unhealthy days per month, adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics and disability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among US adults 20-79 years, 14, 46 and 40% had ideal, intermediate and poor CVHS, respectively. Compared to those with poor CVH, individuals in intermediate and ideal CVH were 44 and 71% less likely to report being in fair/poor health. Participants with ideal CVH scores reported a mean of 2.4 fewer unhealthy days over the past month, including one less day in which their physical health was not good and two fewer days in which their mental health was not good.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ideal CVH is associated with greater overall health status and fewer physically and mentally unhealthy days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 680 North Lake Shore Dr., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. Norrina-allen@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Norrina B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 680 North Lake Shore Dr., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. sbadon@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Badon
authors.affiliation: Division of Population Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. keg9@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Kurt J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Greenlund
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 680 North Lake Shore Dr., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. mhuffman@nm.org.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huffman
authors.affiliation: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. ico2@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Yuling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 680 North Lake Shore Dr., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. dlj@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lloyd-Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States