Optimism and Cardiovascular Health: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Hernandez, Rosalba; Kershaw, Kiarri N.; Siddique, Juned; Boehm, Julia K.; Kubzansky, Laura D.; Diez‐Roux, Ana V.; Ning, Hongyang; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M

doi:10.14485/hbpr.2.1.6

Cited by 56 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Importantly, although optimism is shaped by social structural factors (e.g., SES) and is approximately 25% heritable, 4,5 randomized trials suggest optimism can be modified using approaches including cognitive-behavioral therapy, as well as less intensive classroom-style activities and brief paper and pencil exercises—some of which are inexpensive and accessible. 6–9 Optimism has been associated with healthier behaviors (e.g., diet, medication adherence), 10–13 improved biologic functioning (e.g., less inflammation, healthier antioxidant levels), 14–16 and reduced risk of chronic diseases 17,18 and mortality. 19,20 Yet, it remains largely unknown whether any prolonged longevity is accompanied by overarching health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimism and Healthy Aging in Women

James

Kim

Kubzansky

et al. 2019

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

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Introduction: Optimism—the expectation that good things will happen—has emerged as a promising health asset, as it appears to be related to healthier behaviors and reduced disease risk. Growing research finds that higher optimism is associated with lower mortality, yet it is critical to understand whether this prolonged longevity is accompanied by good health. This study tested whether higher optimism was associated with increased likelihood of healthy aging. Methods: Prospective data analyzed in 2018 from the Nurses’ Health Study included 33,326 women with no major chronic diseases at baseline. Poisson regression models evaluated if optimism was associated with healthy aging 8 years later, considering potential confounders (sociodemographic variables, depression) and intermediate variables (health behaviors). Optimism was assessed in 2004 by validated self-report using mailed questionnaires and healthy aging was assessed in 2012, defined as: (1) remaining free of major chronic diseases, (2) having no subjective memory impairment, (3) having intact physical function, and (4) surviving through follow-up. Results: Overall, 20.5% of women (n=6,823) fulfilled the definition of healthy aging in 2012. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors and depression, the most (top quartile) versus least (bottom quartile) optimistic women had a 23% greater likelihood of healthy aging (95% CI=1.16, 1.30). Associations were similar in white and black participants, although the sample of black women was small (n=354). Conclusions: Higher optimism was associated with increased likelihood of healthy aging, suggesting that optimism, a potentially modifiable health asset, merits further research for its potential to improve health in aging.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimism and Healthy Aging in Women

James

Kim

Kubzansky

et al. 2019

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

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“…One previous study reported associations between optimism and ideal cardiovascular health, but the cross-sectional design limited conclusions about the direction of the relationship. 26 However, the current study is the only one that investigates how psychosocial factors in older adulthood might contribute to achieving and maintaining FCH over time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological Well-being’s Link with Cardiovascular Health in Older Adults

Boehm

Soo

Song

et al. 2017

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

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Introduction Favorable cardiovascular health (FCH) is associated with healthy longevity and reduced cardiovascular mortality risk. However, limited work has investigated the distribution of FCH in older age or considered the antecedents of FCH. Based on prior work linking psychological well-being with cardiovascular endpoints, higher psychological well-being was hypothesized to be associated with increased likelihood of maintaining FCH over time. Methods Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. The first study wave (2002–2003) included men and women aged ≥50 years. The analytic sample (N=4,925) was restricted to individuals without baseline cardiovascular disease and with clinical data from three follow-ups through 2013. Psychological well-being was assessed with 17 items from the Control, Autonomy, Satisfaction, and Pleasure scale. FCH was defined as being a non-smoker, diabetes-free, and having healthy levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, and BMI (FCH scores ranged from 0–5). Statistical analyses conducted in 2016–2017 used linear mixed models to examine associations between psychological well-being and FCH scores over time. Secondary analyses examined cardiovascular-related mortality. Results Only 1% of participants achieved complete FCH at study baseline. Adjusting for sociodemographic factors and depression, greater psychological well-being was associated with higher FCH scores across time (β=0.05, 95% CI=0.02, 0.08), but not rate of change in FCH. Psychological well-being was also associated with a 29% reduced risk of cardiovascular-related mortality in multivariable-adjusted models. Conclusions Findings suggest that psychological well-being is associated with having FCH at older ages, and add to knowledge of assets that may increase likelihood of healthy aging.

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“…Higher levels of optimism have been associated with lower inflammatory cytokine levels and C-reactive protein [147], and lower inflammatory response to experimental stress [148]. However, optimism is an asset highly associated with socioeconomic advantage [149] and healthy lifestyle habits [5,150,151]. Optimism also has complex ties to sleep; optimism improves sleep, yet poor sleep appears to promote pessimism [152].…”

Section: Positive Emotions and States: Neglected Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We highlight the emerging research on positive emotions (rather than exclusively negative emotions typical of the study of depression and/or anxiety) and their associations with immune function, stress physiology and non-communicable disease (NCD) risk [4,5,6]. Further, we explore the rapidly-evolving and no less interconnected realm of nutrition and mental health [7].…”

Section: Roadmap To the Current Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective

Prescott

Logan²

2016

IJERPH

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The influential scientist Rene J. Dubos (1901–1982) conducted groundbreaking studies concerning early-life environmental exposures (e.g., diet, social interactions, commensal microbiota, housing conditions) and adult disease. However, Dubos looked beyond the scientific focus on disease, arguing that “mere survival is not enough”. He defined mental health as fulfilling human potential, and expressed concerns about urbanization occurring in tandem with disappearing access to natural environments (and elements found within them); thus modernity could interfere with health via “missing exposures”. With the advantage of emerging research involving green space, the microbiome, biodiversity and positive psychology, we discuss ecological justice in the dysbiosphere and the forces—financial inequity, voids in public policy, marketing and otherwise—that interfere with the fundamental rights of children to thrive in a healthy urban ecosystem and learn respect for the natural environment. We emphasize health within the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) rubric and suggest that greater focus on positive exposures might uncover mechanisms of resiliency that contribute to maximizing human potential. We will entrain our perspective to socioeconomic disadvantage in developed nations and what we have described as “grey space”; this is a mental as much as a physical environment, a space that serves to insidiously reinforce unhealthy behavior, compromise positive psychological outlook and, ultimately, trans-generational health. It is a dwelling place that cannot be fixed with encephalobiotics or the drug-class known as psychobiotics.

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Optimism and Cardiovascular Health: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Cited by 56 publications

References 53 publications

Optimism and Healthy Aging in Women

Optimism and Healthy Aging in Women

Psychological Well-being’s Link with Cardiovascular Health in Older Adults

Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective

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