Approved Research

Exploring the Relationship Between Cardiovascular Health, Genetics, Environment, and Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases

Lay summary

Aims:

To assess the association between cardiovascular health indicators and specific chronic diseases.

To explore the interplay and association between cardiovascular health, genetically-environmental factors, and chronic diseases, and explore the potential regulatory role of cardiovascular health between different environmental pollution exposures/genetic risks and chronic diseases.

Scientific rationale: The American Heart Association (AHA) determined 8 elements in 2022, including 4 health behaviors (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, and sleep duration) and 4 metabolic factors (body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure), to monitor and promote cardiovascular health (CVH) in individuals and populations, known as Life's Essential 8 (LE8). LE 8 are the key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health. LE8 has some overlapping risk factors with common non-communicable diseases (NCDS), such as cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and liver disease. However, the role of LE8 in predicting various non-communicable diseases remains unknown, and the order of contribution of various LE8 indicators to non-communicable diseases has not been fully elucidated. In addition, a large number of studies have shown that the occurrence and development of NCDS may also be affected by genetic predisposition and environmental factors . However, the potential interaction of cardiovascular health metrics, genetic factors, and environmental factors on chronic disease has not been fully studied. Whether (and to what extent) cardiovascular health can offset the risk of chronic disease caused by genetic susceptibility or environmental exposure remains to be studied.

Project duration: We aim to complete this project and disseminate the results within three years from receiving access to the data.

Public health impact: It is important to validate the implementation and utility of these cardiovascular health indicators in predicting the onset of chronic diseases in order to reduce the burden of chronic diseases. In addition, we hope to discover the interaction of cardiovascular health, genetic risk, and environmental factors in chronic diseases and to remind the public to combat the genetic and environmental risks of chronic diseases by improving adherence to cardiovascular health indicators. In the context of relatively stable innate genetic and environmental factors, adhering to recommendations for cardiovascular health indicators shares a certain priority in reducing the burden of chronic disease.