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 <25 kg/m(2), physical activity at goal, and appropriate diet consistent with guideline recommendations) and factors ( total cholesterol <200 mg/dL, blood pressure <120/80 mm Hg, and fasting blood glucose <100 mg/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 symptonis.