Recent research indicates that many young adults in Puerto Rico are facing challenges regarding their cardiovascular health due to lifestyle choices that may raise their risk for heart disease and strokes later in life.
According to a new study, nearly 75% of Puerto Rican adults aged 18 to 29 displayed suboptimal cardiovascular health, primarily attributed to inadequate healthy eating, insufficient physical activity, and unfavorable body mass index (BMI) scores. This groundbreaking research is the first to analyze the cardiovascular well-being of this demographic within the U.S. territory, utilizing risk metrics known as Life’s Essential 8. These significant findings have recently appeared in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Dr. Milagros Rosal, the co-lead author and vice provost for health equity at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, emphasized the importance of young adulthood as a critical phase for adopting lasting lifestyle habits. She stressed the necessity of understanding the stability of cardiovascular health scores and the various factors that can impact them, whether negatively or positively.
Statistics from the American Heart Association reveal that 52% of Hispanic males and 37% of Hispanic females aged 20 and older in the U.S. are affected by cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have highlighted inadequate cardiovascular health among U.S. adults aged 18 to 44, especially focusing on young Puerto Rican adults residing in the continental U.S., while a smaller study noted similar trends for Puerto Ricans aged 18 to 23 on the island, particularly in metropolitan areas like San Juan and Caguas.
Dr. Cynthia M. Pérez, co-lead author and a professor at the University of Puerto Rico Graduate School of Public Health, noted that prior studies in the U.S. indicated pervasive issues with cardiovascular health among young adults. Hence, they aimed to determine if these findings were similarly applicable to Puerto Ricans residing on the island. Addressing this knowledge gap is crucial due to the high rates of obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking among the youth in Puerto Rico, all of which heighten the risk for cardiovascular issues.
Researchers analyzed data collected between 2020 and 2023 involving 2,162 individuals participating in PR-OUTLOOK, an ongoing investigation that studies the correlation between stress and cardiovascular risk factors among adults aged 18 to 29 in Puerto Rico. Each participant was evaluated based on the Life’s Essential 8, which pertains to various lifestyle habits and health metrics designed to promote good cardiovascular health, covering aspects such as dietary quality, physical activity, nicotine exposure (including vaping), sleep duration, BMI, non-HDL cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. The overall scores were subsequently classified as ideal, intermediate, or poor.
The results revealed that about 27% of participants achieved an ideal overall score, while 69% fell into the intermediate category, and close to 4% received poor ratings. Although many participants demonstrated high ideal scores in blood glucose levels, sleep duration, nicotine exposure, non-HDL cholesterol, and blood pressure, their dietary quality, physical activity, and BMI scores were alarmingly low.
Noteworthy sex differences in overall cardiovascular health also emerged from the findings; nearly 30% of women reached an ideal score, compared to 24% of men. Dr. Pérez noted that while men exhibited lower nicotine exposure and non-HDL cholesterol levels, they had increased blood pressure, whereas women were recorded with lower physical activity levels.
Dr. Olveen Carrasquillo from the University of Miami praised the research team for their focus on cardiovascular health in Puerto Rico, a region often neglected in national health surveys. He highlighted the urgency of intervening with young individuals who may slip into a vulnerable state that could lead to heart disease as they age. Carrasquillo was particularly taken aback by the dismal physical activity scores, urging a collective effort to encourage increased activity levels.
The authors pointed out that young people in Puerto Rico confront numerous systemic challenges to achieving optimal health, including issues like food insecurity, poverty, a lack of healthcare access, and an enduring financial crisis. Carrasquillo reiterated the importance of redirecting resources toward youth health rather than solely focusing on debt repayment.
Pérez explained that the findings underscore how cardiovascular health can deteriorate as early as adolescence. Consequently, it’s crucial for young individuals to adopt healthier lifestyle practices—this includes maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, refraining from smoking or vaping, achieving a healthy weight, and ensuring quality sleep.
Overall, Pérez concluded that the association between cardiovascular health during young adulthood and future risks of premature cardiovascular disease and general mortality cannot be overstated. It is vital for everyone to recognize the importance of fostering cardiovascular health, especially among young adults.