%0 Journal Article
%T Depressive Symptoms and Cardiovascular Health by the American Heart Association＊s Definition in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study
%A Ian M. Kronish
%A April P. Carson
%A Karina W. Davidson
%A Paul Muntner
%A Monika M. Safford
%J PLOS ONE
%D 2012
%I Public Library of Science (PLoS)
%R 10.1371/journal.pone.0052771
%X Background Depressive symptoms are associated with increased incident and recurrent cardiovascular events. In 2010, the American Heart Association published the Life＊s Simple 7, a metric for assessing cardiovascular health as measured by 4 health behaviors (smoking, physical activity, body mass index, diet) and 3 biological measures (cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose). The association between depressive symptoms and the Life＊s Simple 7 has not yet been explored. Methods Data from 20,093 participants ≡45 years of age who enrolled in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study between 2003 and 2007 and who had complete data available on Life＊s Simple 7 components were used for these analyses. The prevalence of ideal, intermediate, and poor health on each Life＊s Simple 7 component and total Life＊s Simple 7 scores were compared between participants with and without depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 4-item Centers for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression scale. Results Participants with depressive symptoms were more likely to have poor levels on each of the Life＊s Simple 7 components other than cholesterol [adjusted prevalence ratios (95% CI): smoking 1.41 (1.29每1.55); physical activity 1.38 (1.31每1.46); body mass index 1.09 (1.04每1.15); diet 1.08 (1.06每1.10); blood pressure 1.11 (1.02每1.21); glucose 1.24 (1.09每1.41)]. There was a graded association between increasing depressive symptoms and lower total Life＊s Simple 7 score. Conclusion Depressive symptoms are associated with worse cardiovascular health on the overall Life＊s Simple 7 and on individual components representing both health behaviors and biological factors.
%U http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0052771