Cardiovascular health assessed using Life’s Essential 8 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among community-dwelling older men and women in the InCHIANTI study

IntroductionThe older population is growing fast, and it is important to investigate the cardiovascular health factors and behaviors that are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality among older individuals.MethodsA total of 920 older adults (mean age: 74 years, 55% women) from the...

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Main Authors: Vivek Sarma, Yichen Jin, Stefania Bandinelli, Sameera A. Talegawkar, Luigi Ferrucci, Toshiko Tanaka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1570463/full
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author Vivek Sarma
Yichen Jin
Stefania Bandinelli
Sameera A. Talegawkar
Luigi Ferrucci
Toshiko Tanaka
author_facet Vivek Sarma
Yichen Jin
Stefania Bandinelli
Sameera A. Talegawkar
Luigi Ferrucci
Toshiko Tanaka
author_sort Vivek Sarma
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe older population is growing fast, and it is important to investigate the cardiovascular health factors and behaviors that are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality among older individuals.MethodsA total of 920 older adults (mean age: 74 years, 55% women) from the InCHIANTI study were included for analysis. Cardiovascular health (CVH) was assessed using the Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) developed by the American Heart Association, including 8 health behaviors (smoking, diet, physical activity, sleep) and factors (body mass index, blood cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure). The LE8 score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher score indicating better CVH. CVH was analyzed on both a continuous scale [per 1 standard deviation (SD) increase] and categorical scale [low (CVH) score < 50 vs. moderate/high (CVH) score ≥ 50]. Cox hazard models were used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) of CVD and all-cause mortality associated with CVH and its components adjusting for age, sex, study site, education, presence of ADL and IADL limitations, cognitive impairment, depression, and presence of chronic disease.ResultsThe median follow-up time was 14.5 years. Participants with moderate/high CVH had better survival rates for both CVD and all-cause mortality compared to those with low CVH. One SD increase in LE8 score was associated with 28% (p = 0.001) and 17% (p < 0.001) lower risk of CVD and all-cause mortality, respectively.DiscussionAmong older community dwelling men and women, better CVH is inversely associated with CVD and all-cause mortality, and this lends credence to the importance of prioritizing health factors and behaviors in preventing chronic disease and promoting healthier lives among older adults.
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spelling doaj-art-c7f155bf98d54c17a50b089e7ec091372025-08-20T02:34:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-05-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15704631570463Cardiovascular health assessed using Life’s Essential 8 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among community-dwelling older men and women in the InCHIANTI studyVivek Sarma0Yichen Jin1Stefania Bandinelli2Sameera A. Talegawkar3Luigi Ferrucci4Toshiko Tanaka5School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United StatesDepartment of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United StatesGeriatric Unit, Azienda Sanitaria Firenze (ASF), Florence, ItalyDepartment of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United StatesLongitudinal Study Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, United StatesLongitudinal Study Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, United StatesIntroductionThe older population is growing fast, and it is important to investigate the cardiovascular health factors and behaviors that are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality among older individuals.MethodsA total of 920 older adults (mean age: 74 years, 55% women) from the InCHIANTI study were included for analysis. Cardiovascular health (CVH) was assessed using the Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) developed by the American Heart Association, including 8 health behaviors (smoking, diet, physical activity, sleep) and factors (body mass index, blood cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure). The LE8 score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher score indicating better CVH. CVH was analyzed on both a continuous scale [per 1 standard deviation (SD) increase] and categorical scale [low (CVH) score < 50 vs. moderate/high (CVH) score ≥ 50]. Cox hazard models were used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) of CVD and all-cause mortality associated with CVH and its components adjusting for age, sex, study site, education, presence of ADL and IADL limitations, cognitive impairment, depression, and presence of chronic disease.ResultsThe median follow-up time was 14.5 years. Participants with moderate/high CVH had better survival rates for both CVD and all-cause mortality compared to those with low CVH. One SD increase in LE8 score was associated with 28% (p = 0.001) and 17% (p < 0.001) lower risk of CVD and all-cause mortality, respectively.DiscussionAmong older community dwelling men and women, better CVH is inversely associated with CVD and all-cause mortality, and this lends credence to the importance of prioritizing health factors and behaviors in preventing chronic disease and promoting healthier lives among older adults.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1570463/fullmortalitycardiovascular diseasecardiovascular healthLife’s Essential 8older adultsInCHIANTI
spellingShingle Vivek Sarma
Yichen Jin
Stefania Bandinelli
Sameera A. Talegawkar
Luigi Ferrucci
Toshiko Tanaka
Cardiovascular health assessed using Life’s Essential 8 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among community-dwelling older men and women in the InCHIANTI study
Frontiers in Public Health
mortality
cardiovascular disease
cardiovascular health
Life’s Essential 8
older adults
InCHIANTI
title Cardiovascular health assessed using Life’s Essential 8 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among community-dwelling older men and women in the InCHIANTI study
title_full Cardiovascular health assessed using Life’s Essential 8 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among community-dwelling older men and women in the InCHIANTI study
title_fullStr Cardiovascular health assessed using Life’s Essential 8 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among community-dwelling older men and women in the InCHIANTI study
title_full_unstemmed Cardiovascular health assessed using Life’s Essential 8 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among community-dwelling older men and women in the InCHIANTI study
title_short Cardiovascular health assessed using Life’s Essential 8 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among community-dwelling older men and women in the InCHIANTI study
title_sort cardiovascular health assessed using life s essential 8 is associated with all cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among community dwelling older men and women in the inchianti study
topic mortality
cardiovascular disease
cardiovascular health
Life’s Essential 8
older adults
InCHIANTI
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1570463/full
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