Recently according to a trusted published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, stress in youth and early adulthood may contribute to the development of cardiometabolic diseases in the future.
To reach their findings, scientists looked at the health information of 276 members of the Southern California Children’s Health Study from 2003 to 2014 and a follow-up assessment from 2018 to 2021.
The stress participants felt was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, with questions about thoughts and feelings during the previous month. Assessments were done in three life stages: childhood (average age of 6 years), adolescence (average age of 13 years), and young adulthood (average age of 24 years).
In early childhood, parents provide information on their child’s stress levels. During teenage years and adulthood, the responses were self-reported.
The scientists categorized members into four groups, such as consistently low stress, decreasing stress, increasing stress, and consistently high stress.
The scientists used six different markers to determine a cardiometabolic risk score in young adulthood, such as Android/gynoid ratio, Systolic, and diastolic blood pressure, Percent of body fat, Neck artery thickness, Hemoglobin A1C and Body mass index (BMI)
Members received one point for markers above the normal range. The scientists did not use BMI in calculating the risk score as the body fat percentage and the android/gynoid ratio provided a complete assessment.
Final scores ranged from 0 to 5, with higher scores showing higher cardiometabolic risk factors.
The researchers found that adults with high perceived stress, mainly those who indicated high stress levels beginning in adolescence, might be more likely to develop cardiometabolic risk factors as young adults. For example, higher perceived stress is linked with higher neck artery thickness, a blood vessel injury, and hypertrophy markers that could indicate atherosclerosis.
This study highlights the idea that stress reduction should be a component of our public health strategy, said Dr. Sameer Amin, a cardiologist and the chief medical officer at L.A. Care Health Plan who was not involved in the study.
As we have all assumed, high perceived stress can lead to lifestyle choices that worsen cardiometabolic health. When we do not cope with our stress, a healthy diet and regular exercise often fall by the wayside, says Amin.
Experts say the findings recommend that promoting stress-coping strategies early in life might lessen the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases as adults.
For quite some time, we have known that stress can increase the risk of cardiovascular sequalae such as high blood pressure, heart attack, and congestive heart failure, says Dr. Hosam Hmoud, a cardiologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York who was not involved in the study.
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The study did not investigate the reasons why stress in childhood might affect someone’s health at age 40, says Dr. Andrew Freeman, a cardiologist at National Jewish Health who was not involved in the study. If I needed to hypothesize, this is likely because if someone has a history of chronic stress – going back to childhood – they could have maladaptive ways of dealing with stress.
There could be many reasons why the 40-year-old has certain health conditions, but habits persist, and someone who has trouble dealing with stress as a child probably has trouble dealing with stress as an adult, says Freeman.
The brain and body are still developing during childhood and adolescence, and stress can disturb these processes, said Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California who was not involved in the study.
Chronic stress can lead to changes in stress hormone levels, inflammation, and other biological factors that increase the risk of disease. Children and adolescents may have fewer coping skills and resources to manage stress effectively, says Ganjian.
It’s also important to know that while this research highlights the potential harmful effects of chronic stress, it’s not all doom and gloom, he noted. Resilience is a key factor in how individuals cope with stress and there are many things that can be done to build resilience in children and adolescents.
It behooves us to accept that we live in a stressful world, says Freeman. Parents play a main role in helping a child to develop stress relief approaches.
Ganjian offers some healthy strategies, such as
Regular physical activity – Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects.
Relaxation techniques- Meditation, yoga, and deep breathing can help to calm the mind and body.
Healthy sleep habits – Getting enough sleep is important for physical and mental health.
Social connection:- Spending time with loved ones can provide comfort and support
Need professional help– If stress is overwhelming, talking to a therapist can be helpful.
Consuming a healthy diet is important, says Freeman. Everybody has some method of stress relief that works for them. It is important for them to recognize what works and to build on that. Many individuals find that meditation and yoga help.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Trusted Source (CDC), watching, reading, listening to the news, and scrolling on social media can point out all that is wrong with the world and cause stress. Parents should promote a living environment that promotes open communication with their children, says Hmoud. In the age of social media, it’s very important for parents to educate their children on how to use correctly the said platforms to avoid worsening an already stressful environment
