Five childhood risk factors that predict stroke and heart attacks in adulthood have been identified after being tracked for up to half a century in the world’s largest international prospective cardiovascular disease study. The international study, co-authored by Trudy Burns, University of Iowa professor emerita of epidemiology, involved data from the long-running Muscatine Study based in Iowa.

The study, conducted by the International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohorts Consortium (i3C), found body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides (a type of fat found in blood), and youth smoking, particularly in combination in early childhood, were clinically linked with cardiovascular events, from as early as 40 years of age.

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Read the study in the New England Journal of Medicine

Read the accompanying editorial

Media Coverage

International Study Shows Risk Factors in Childhood are Related to Cardiovascular Events in Adulthood
https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/international-study-shows-risk-factors-childhood-are-related-cardiovascular-events

Study Provides ‘Elusive’ Link Between Kids’ Health and Adult Heart Events
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/acc/98042

Five childhood risk factors predict heart attacks and strokes in adulthood
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/948869

Five childhood risk factors researchers say could increase chances of stroke, heart attacks as an adult
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/five-childhood-risk-factors-researchers-say-could-increase-chances-of-stroke-heart-attacks-as-an-adult-1.5851442