Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA)

The following are some findings from CARDIA data:

• Having above optimal levels of risk factors for heart disease between the ages of 18 and 30 can mean a two to three times greater risk of later developing atherosclerosis, a strong predictor of future heart disease.
• Young adults who maintain their weight over time, even if they are overweight, have lower risk factor levels for heart disease and are less likely to develop metabolic syndrome in middle age than those whose weight increases.
• Young adults who frequently eat fast food gain more weight and have a greater increase in insulin resistance in early middle age. After age 15, those who ate fast food more than twice each week compared to less than once a week had gained an extra ten pounds and had a two-fold greater increase in insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. 
• Living in racially segregated neighborhoods is associated with higher blood pressure among black adults, while moving away from segregated areas is associated with a decrease in blood pressure.

The NHLBI continues to leverage CARDIA data and stored biological specimens to uncover more findings. The NHLBI welcomes researchers to utilize the valuable resources that have been collected since the study began in 1983. Learn more about utilizing CARDIA resources through the study website and through NHLBI’s biospecimen and data repository, BioLINCC.

Study renewals have allowed for additional follow-up clinical exams. Only original CARDIA participants could participate in the follow-up exams after completing their initial exam at the start of the study. 

While the aims of each follow-up exam have varied, data have been collected on a variety of factors believed to be related to heart disease in later life. These include conditions with clear links to heart disease, such as blood pressure, cholesterol and other lipids, and blood glucose levels. Data have also been collected on physical measurements such as weight and skinfold fat, as well as lifestyle factors such as substance use (tobacco and alcohol), eating and exercise patterns, behavioral and psychological variables, medical and family history, and other chemistries (e.g., insulin). In addition, echocardiography was performed during years 5, 10, 25, and 30; cardiac computed tomography during years 15, 20, and 25; carotid ultrasound during year 20; measures of cognitive function at years 25 and 30; and a brain magnetic resonance image (MRI) in a subset of participants at years 25 and 30.