Prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health in young adults: A birth cohort from southern Brazil

Background: Ideal cardiovascular health (ICH) aims at primordial prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the population. However, there is a lack of research describing ICH in youth from middle-income countries. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence of ICH at 18- and 22-year-old and to investigate the influence of socioeconomic status.

Methods: The sample consisted of participants from the Pelotas 1993 birth-cohort followed-up at 18- (n = 4,106) and 22-year-old (n = 3,810). Ideal metrics were created for diet, smoking, body mass index, physical activity, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and blood glucose. The presence of 4 or more ideal metrics was defined as ICH. Socioeconomic status was obtained using wealth quintiles calculated with factor analysis based on analysis based on the ownership of household and education. The impact of socioeconomic status on ICH metrics was statistically measured using the slope index of inequality.

Results: The prevalence of ICH was 84.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 82.7-86.2%) and 84.1% (82.3-85.8%) at 18-year-old and decreased to 61.1% (58.4-63.7%) and 68.7% (66.2-71.2%) at 22-years old, for male and female, respectively. Socioeconomic status influenced ICH and its components differently in males and females. Wealthiest females had ICH prevalence 19 percentage points (pp) (11-27 pp) higher compared to the poorest, whereas poorest males had ICH prevalence 12 pp (1-21 pp) higher compared to the wealthiest. Longitudinal decreases in ICH components were mostly present in the poorest females.

Conclusions: In middle-income countries, the prevalence of ICH is high at 18-year-old and decreases in a 4-year follow-up. Socioeconomic status influences differently individuals' ICH between sexes. Efforts are needed to maintain ICH in youth and different strategies may be required between the social status.