New NHLBI-funded research on optimism and heart health found that Latinos who are the most optimistic are more likely to have healthy hearts. The study, published in BJM Open, included more than 4,900 people of Latino/Hispanic ancestry living in the United States; and is one of the first to explore associations between emotional well-being and cardiac health in a large diverse sample of Hispanic/Latino adults.
Participants' cardiovascular health was assessed using the American Heart Association's "Life's Simple 7" metrics, which include blood pressure, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose and serum cholesterol levels, dietary intake, physical activity and tobacco use.
“Each unit increase in a Latino adult's level of optimism was associated with 3 percent higher odds of meeting the criteria for ideal cardiovascular health across four or more metrics,” said principal investigator Rosalba Hernandez, a professor of social work at the University of Illinois. “The correlation between optimism and cardiovascular health was consistent across heritage groups, regardless of age, sex, nativity status or level of acculturation.”
The sample for the current study was drawn from the Sociocultural Ancillary Study, which explored socioeconomic, cultural and psychosocial influences on Latinos' health. That study was part of a larger NHLBI-funded project called the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, conducted from 2008 to 2011, which included more than 16,400 Latinos living in California, Florida, Illinois and New York.