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How Childhood Depression Triggers Cardiovascular Risk in Later Life?

MEEFRO October 10, 2023

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This research was led by a team at the George Washington University and was published in the

“Our study suggests signs of depression or anxiety in Latinx kids can set up a cycle that leads to weight gain, an unhealthy diet, and inactivity by the high school years,” Kathleen M. Roche, a professor of prevention and community health at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health, said. “If such problems are not addressed early on, they can set the stage for adult diseases like heart disease and stroke.” (

Latinx high school students are 50% more likely to be obese compared to white youth and are at much higher risk of developing diabetes, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And researchers know that mental health issues can trigger many unhealthy behaviors such as overeating high-fat comfort food and a sedentary lifestyle.

Roche and her colleagues studied data from 547 Latinx middle school students in suburban Atlanta. The vast majority of students in the sample were U.S. citizens. The students were, on average, aged 13 at the time of the first survey and 17 at the time of the most recent survey.

Childhood Mental Health Impacts Cardiovascular Risk Later in Life

Researchers asked the students questions about their diet, sleep patterns and physical activity. They also had youth report on their mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety.

They found that even after adjusting for confounding factors, kids who had more depression, anxiety and other internalizing mental health symptoms were more likely to be sedentary, to report more sleep problems and an unhealthy diet, and to be overweight or obese just four years later. These are all risk factors that can lead to cardiovascular disease in young adulthood.

The findings represent a sobering reminder that teens, even those in middle school, can suffer from mental health issues that continue into the high school years and may also set in motion health problems like obesity.

At the same time, the research also points to a solution: Roche says that prompt mental health treatment may help teens stop overeating and get involved in physical activities such as soccer or another sport.

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