Family-based approaches targeting caregivers and children and addressing structural conditions are likely the most effective strategy to promote cardiovascular health.
Family-based interventions addressing shared environments, parenting styles, and genomics are critical for effective lifelong cardiovascular health promotion.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the world, and the increasing burden is largely a consequence of modifiable behavioral risk factors that interact with genomics and the environment. Continuous cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention throughout the lifespan is critical, and the family is a central entity in this process. In this review, we describe the potential rationale and mechanisms that contribute to the importance of family for cardiovascular health promotion, focusing on: 1) mutual interdependence of the family system; 2) shared environment; 3) parenting style; 4) caregiver perceptions; and 5) genomics. We conclude that family-based approaches that target both caregivers and children, encourage communication among the family unit, and address the structural and environmental conditions in which families live and operate are likely to be the most effective approach to promote cardiovascular health. We describe lessons learned, future implications, and applications to ongoing and planned studies.
Vedanthan et al. (Fri,) conducted a review in Cardiovascular disease. Family-based approaches was evaluated. Family-based approaches targeting caregivers and children and addressing structural conditions are likely the most effective strategy to promote cardiovascular health.