Childhood Assets and Cardiometabolic Health in Adolescence

BACKGROUND: Research shows that the development of cardiometabolic disease can begin early in life with risk factors accumulating over time, but less is known about protective pathways to positive health. In this study, we use prospective data to test whether childhood assets predict a greater likelihood of being in optimal cardiometabolic health by age 17. METHODS: Data are from 3074 participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (mean age = 17.8). Four childhood assets were prospectively assessed via cognitive tests and parent report when children were between ages 8 and 10: strong executive functioning skills, prosocial behaviors, and low levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. Cardiometabolic health was assessed at ages 9 and 17 by using a composite dysregulation score derived from multiple biological parameters, including cholesterol, blood pressure, C-reactive protein, insulin resistance, and BMI. Associations between assets and optimal health at age 17 (ie, a dysregulation score of <= 1) were evaluated with Poisson regression models with robust error variances. RESULTS: After controlling for covariates (including sociodemographics, correlates of cardiometabolic health, and dysregulation scores at age 9), participants with multiple assets were 1.08 to 1.27 times more likely to be in optimal cardiometabolic health at age 17 compared with those with 0 or 1 asset. Each additional asset conferred a 6% greater likelihood of optimal health over time (relative risk = 1.06 [95% confidence interval: 1.01 to 1.11]). CONCLUSIONS: Childhood assets predicted cardiometabolic health with seemingly cumulative impacts. Identifying early assets may provide novel targets for prevention and elucidate pathways to positive adult health.