A prospective study of ideal cardiovascular health and depressive symptoms

Background: Ideal cardiovascular health is a new construct defined by the American Heart Association as part of its 2020 Impact Goal.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the simultaneous presence of ideal cardiovascular health behaviors and factors could reduce the odds of developing depressive symptoms.

Methods: Participants from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, who did not have any mental disorder/condition at baseline, were examined between 1987 and 1998, and they were followed up for a mean period of 6.1 years. Ideal cardiovascular health behaviors (never smoking, body mass index <25kg/m(2), physical activity at goal, and appropriate diet consistent with guideline recommendations) and factors (total cholesterol <200mg/dL, blood pressure <120/80mm Hg, and fasting blood glucose <100mg/dL) were measured at baseline. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in 1990, 1995, or 1999.

Results: Of the 5110 participants, 641 reported depressive symptoms. Participants meeting 3-4 or 5-7 ideal cardiovascular health components had 28% (odds ratio = 0.72; 95% confidence interval 0.59-0.87) and 36% (odds ratio = 0.64; confidence interval 0.50-0.82) decreased odds of depressive symptoms, respectively, when compared with those meeting 0-2 ideal components. Ideal behaviors were associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms in participants meeting 2 or 3-4 ideal behaviors, compared with those meeting 0-1 (odds ratio = 0.81; confidence interval 0.67-0.98 and odds ratio = 0.72; confidence interval 0.57-0.91). Ideal factors were not associated with depressive symptoms.

Conclusion: Ideal cardiovascular health components, especially health behaviors, present an inverse relationship with depressive symptoms.