Harvard Study: Kids’ Heart Health Declines Starting at Age 10

Factors such as diet, sleep duration, and nicotine exposure appeared to contribute to this decline, a new study found.

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The path to heart health takes a sharp turn at age 10—and not for the better.

A new Harvard study suggests that cardiovascular health trajectories begin a steady decline right around the time kids enter middle school, with 98 percent of children falling short of optimal heart health measures.

Most Children Fall Short of Optimal Heart Health Scores

Research published on Dec. 18 in JAMA Cardiology shows a decline in cardiovascular health (CVH) among children, predominantly driven by health behaviors rather than biological health factors.

Health behaviors refer to the actions and choices people make that directly affect their health, such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking. In contrast, health factors are broader determinants of health that include genetic predispositions and environmental influences.

The research team analyzed data from more than 1,500 children involved in the Project Viva pre-birth cohort in eastern Massachusetts.

The study evaluated various CVH metrics, including dietary habits, smoking, physical activity levels, and sleep duration. Their findings show that CVH scores begin to decline at about age 10 across all demographic groups, suggesting that social and developmental changes may contribute to this trend.

The findings show that only 2 percent of children aged 2 to 19 years have the optimal CVH score of 100 points. Additionally, less than one-third of U.S. children meet the high score criteria (80 to 100 points) established by the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 guidelines, which assess cardiovascular health by applying both behavioral and health factors.

The researchers noted that improved CVH during childhood is linked to a reduced risk of conditions such as metabolic syndrome (including diabetes), hardening of the arteries, and other adverse cardiac functions in adulthood.

Children’s Heart Health Linked to 3 Key Behaviors

“Though we know that better heart health in childhood is linked to lower risks of coronary issues later in life, the current state of cardiovascular health in US children is less than ideal,” Izzuddin Aris, assistant professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School Pilgrim Health Care Institute and lead author of the study, said in a statement.

“Our study provides insight into the trajectory of cardiovascular health in early life, establishing a clear window of opportunity to improve the health of the nation’s children now and into the future,” he wrote.

The study concluded that improving key health behaviors may be crucial to optimizing CVH during this formative period.

“We found that the decline in cardiovascular health score was driven by health behaviors rather than health factors,” Aris told The Epoch Times. “Specifically, three out of the four health behaviors, diet, sleep duration, and nicotine exposure, appeared to contribute to this decline.”

He stated that these results are consistent with prior studies of this population.

“In Project Viva, we have shown that mean sleep duration [decreased] from 12 to 9.8 hours from age 2 to 7 years, while overall diet quality declined between early and mid-childhood,” Aris stated. “Risk taking behaviors, such as smoking, have also been reported to be more prevalent as children transition into adolescence.”

Structural Factors and Health Disparities

This research highlights the critical need for early intervention and targeted health strategies aimed at promoting cardiovascular health among children, with the goal of reducing health disparities and improving long-term health outcomes, according to Aris.

“As researchers and clinicians, we can advocate for policies that reduce child poverty, eradicate exposure to environmental toxins, and ensure safe housing and food security to promote optimal cardiovascular health in children.”