Two new studies, presented at the American Health Association (AHA) conference, demonstrated that an optimal composite cardiovascular score based on the Life’s Essential 8 measure was associated with longer life expectancy free of chronic conditions like cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Life’s Essential 8, developed by the American Heart Association, is a concept that estimates cardiovascular health based on four modifiable behaviors, including physical activity and sleep, and four modifiable biometric measures, including weight, blood glucose, and blood lipid levels, that influence cardiovascular health.
Dr. Alexandra Lajoie, a noninvasive cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, who was not involved in the study, comments on the results of the study: “The results of these studies are not surprising. Research continues to show us that healthy lifestyle interventions are good for health outcomes, and often are even more important than prescription medications.”
