Abstract 12026: Life Essential 8 is Positively Associated With a Higher Executive Cognitive Function in US Children - ABCD Study

Abstract

Background: While the association between cardiovascular health components has been linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline in adults, the relationship between cardiovascular health indicators and executive/cognitive function in US children remains poorly understood. Research Question: Are measures of cardiovascular health associated with executive, cognitive function and in US children? Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine cross-sectional associations of Life Essential 8 components with executive and cognitive function. Methods: This was a baseline analysis from a multicenter, prospective cohort study, known as the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Data were analyzed from the baseline ABCD data release 1.0. Participants were children aged 9 to 10 years old recruited in 21 US cities. Participants with incomplete questionnaire data for dietary intake, physical activity, nicotine exposure, or sleep health; health evaluation for body mass index, blood lipids, glycated hemoglobin, or blood pressure; or covariate data were excluded. Each cardiovascular health indicator ranges from 0 to 100 points, enabling the calculation of a composite cardiovascular health score as the unweighted average of all components, which also ranges from 0 to 100 points. The National Institutes of Health Toolbox neurocognitive battery assesses general cognitive ability, executive function, and learning/memory using raw scores and age-corrected measures. Results: A total of 978 individuals were analyzed. The mean (SD) age was 9.9 (0.2) years, 44.9% were girls, and 53.4% were White. Individuals with more favorable cardiovascular health behaviors showed better executive cognitive function (β = 0.170; CI 95%, 0.076 to 0.265; p = 0.001), and overall cardiovascular health was associated with higher executive cognitive function (β = 0.209; CI 95%, 0.067 to 0.351; p = 0.002). Conclusions: Cardiovascular health behaviors and overall cardiovascular health were directly linked to cognitive and executive function in 9-10-year-old US children, supporting public health recommendations to promote these behaviors for their potential benefits to cognitive function and brain development.