Prevention & lipidsCohort study
Early Childhood Food Insecurity and Cardiovascular Health in Young Adulthood
- Prospective cohort study
- 20 US cities
- birth cohort
Authors' conclusion
This study suggests that early childhood food insecurity is associated with a higher BMI in young adulthood, which is associated with a worse overall LE8 score, especially among children whose families did not participate in SNAP.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals enrolled at birth (1998–2000) in 20 US cities, evaluated at age 3–5 years and followed to young adulthood (mean age 22.3 years)
- Participants
- 1,071 individuals
- Exposure
- Early childhood food insecurity vs food security
- Food insecurityn = 422
- Outcome
- CVH by AHA Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score
- Follow-up
- Up to young adulthood
Main finding
LE8 score
β
−2.2
95% CI −4.0 to −0.4
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | adjusted OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| BMI of 30 or more | 1.40 (1.07–1.84) | |
| 0.512Adjusted odds ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | β (95% CI) |
|---|---|
| LE8 BMI component score | −4.9 (−9.6 to −0.3) |
| LE8 score, by childhood SNAP participation (subgroup) — Food insecurity vs Food security · no SNAP participation | −4.9 (−7.6 to −2.3) |
| LE8 score, by childhood SNAP participation (subgroup) — Food insecurity vs Food security · SNAP participation | 1.0 (−1.6 to 3.7) |
Original publication
Early Childhood Food Insecurity and Cardiovascular Health in Young Adulthood. JAMA Cardiol. Published 1 August 2025. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2025.1062
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it