Ideal Cardiovascular Health Linked to Comprehensive Body Benefits, Study Finds

Research spanning a decade has underscored the profound benefits of ideal cardiovascular health, not just for the heart but for the entire body. According to a comprehensive review published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, individuals who adhere to the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7™ metrics for cardiovascular health enjoy a lower likelihood of developing a range of conditions, from limb amputation and dementia to eye disease, hearing loss, depression, and cancer.

The Life’s Simple 7 metrics, introduced in 2010 and refined in 2022 to include sleep as Life’s Essential 8™, encompass not smoking, healthy nutrition, regular physical activity, healthy weight, and normal blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. The review, which analyzed nearly 500 studies, found that individuals with high scores in these metrics were more likely to maintain brain and lung function, vision and hearing, and muscle strength as they aged, alongside lower frequencies of chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes.

Lead study author Liliana Aguayo, Ph.D., M.P.H., highlighted the unexpected breadth of benefits, noting that optimal levels of Life’s Simple 7 metrics positively affect every aspect of health, from head to toe. The findings also suggest that even individuals at higher genetic risk for heart disease can mitigate their risk by maintaining ideal levels of at least three of the metrics.

Despite the low global prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health—up to 4% of individuals worldwide—the study reinforces the importance of healthy lifestyle choices in preventing not only cardiovascular disease but also in promoting overall well-being. The American Heart Association’s Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, emphasized that these metrics are a cornerstone for improving health across the board, aligning with the organization’s mission to foster longer, healthier lives.

The study acknowledges limitations, including the broad categorization of health metrics in Life’s Simple 7 and potential underrepresentation of negative findings. Researchers advocate for further studies, particularly among children, pregnant women, and underrepresented global populations, to explore the mechanisms linking these health metrics to improved outcomes and the benefits of incremental improvements.