Childhood mental health, adverse childhood experiences, and cardiovascular health outcomes: Lifestyle and enviornmental factors

One approach for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease is the modification of risk factors in children and adolescents. However, risk factors in this population are traditionally view from a physical/physiological perspective, with little research considering the influence of psychological factors, including mental health and adversity. it is also important to examine how these factors change over time during childhood, adolescence and into adulthood, but there is currently a lack of longitudinal evidence. Physical activity is an important lifestyle factor that can modify the risk of cardiovascular disease, with 5-18 year old recommended to undertake an average of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per day across the week. However, it is currently unknown how physical activity may alter the relationship between psychological health and adverse experiences during childhood and the risk of cardiovascular disease in adolescence and early adulthood.

Given the above, the aim of the current project is to answer the following research questions:

1. Are measures of mental health and adverse experiences during childhood associated with measures of cardiovascular health in adolescence and adulthood?

2. Does the association depend on the level of physical activity, or between important factors such as sex and socioeconomic status?

3. What is the impact of physical activity, psychological skills training, or a combination of both, on the cardiovascular responses to mental stress within children?

Assessing the contribution of psychological, environmental and lifestyle risk factors to cardiovascular disease simultaneously provides a novel, interdisciplinary, and comprehensive view of approaches which may be beneficial to improving the health and wellbeing of current and future generations across their lifespan. Furthermore, consideration of differences between societal groups may identify populations who are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues or adversity in childhood or those who may suffer greater impacts on cardiovascular health in adulthood. This research would include ambitious analyses of large-scale, longitudinal data, with measurements through childhood, adolescence and into early adulthood. Important findings will be shared with other organisations, such as spreading awareness of the importance of monitoring mental health within schools and communicating with children's mental health charities such as Young Minds. Crucially, current governmental approaches towards tackling cardiovascular disease focusing on diet and physical activity may not be a successful long-term plan to reach proposed targets, based on evidence illustrating high rates of non-compliance to studies promoting physical activity and dietary interventions. As a result, innovative research is needed to assess the combined influence of psychological, environmental and lifestyle factors on cardiovascular health, which could play a pivotal role in the future prevention of cardiovascular disease.