Depression and Anxiety Are Associated With Cardiovascular Health in Young Adults

Background Cardiovascular health (CVH) declines in young adulthood, and mood disorders commonly emerge during this life stage. This study examined the association between depression, anxiety, and CVH metrics among young adults. Methods and Results We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of participants aged 18 to 34 years who completed the Emory Healthy Aging Study Health History Questionnaire (n=875). We classified participants as having poor, intermediate, or ideal levels of the 8 CVH metrics using definitions set forth by the American Heart Association with adaptions when necessary. We defined depression and anxiety as absent, mild, or moderate to severe using standard cutoffs for Patient Health Questionnaire and General Anxiety Disorder scales. We used multivariable regression to examine the association between depression and anxiety and CVH, adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, income, and education. The mean participant age was 28.3 years, and the majority identified as women (724; 82.7%); 129 (14.7%) participants had moderate to severe anxiety, and 128 (14.6%) participants had moderate to severe depression. Compared with those without anxiety, participants with moderate to severe anxiety were less likely to meet ideal levels of physical activity (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 0.60 [95% CI, 0.44-0.82]), smoking (aPR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.82-0.99]), and body mass index (aPR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.66-0.95]). Participants with moderate to severe depression were less likely than those without depression to meet ideal levels of physical activity (aPR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.34-0.69]), body mass index (aPR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.61-0.91]), sleep (aPR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.66-0.94]), and blood pressure (aPR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.86-0.99]). Conclusions Anxiety and depression are associated with less ideal CVH in young adults. Interventions targeting CVH behaviors such as physical activity, diet, and sleep may improve both mood and CVH.