Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA)

The following are some findings from CARDIA data:

• Adults between ages 18 and 30 who have several risk factors for heart disease are two to three times more likely to develop atherosclerosis, a strong predictor of future heart disease, later in life.
• Young adults who maintain their weight over time, even if they are overweight, have a lower risk of heart disease and are less likely to develop metabolic syndrome in middle age than those who gain weight.
• Young adults who eat fast food often gain more weight and have a greater increase in insulin resistance in early middle age. After age 15, those who eat fast food more than twice a week compared to less than once a week gain an extra ten pounds and show a two-fold rise in insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. 
• Living in racially segregated neighborhoods is linked to higher blood pressure among Black adults, while moving away from segregated areas is linked with a decrease in blood pressure.

The NHLBI continues to use CARDIA data and stored biological specimens to uncover more findings. The NHLBI welcomes researchers to use the valuable resources that have been collected since the study began in 1983. Learn more about using CARDIA resources through the study website and through the NHLBI Biologic Specimen and Data Repository Coordinating Center (BioLINCC) website.

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, researchers have collected data on a variety of factors believed to be linked to heart disease in later life. These include factors with clear links to heart disease, such as blood pressure, cholesterol and other lipids, and blood glucose levels. Researchers have also collected data on physical measurements such as weight and skinfold fat, as well as lifestyle factors, such as substance use (including tobacco and alcohol), diet and exercise patterns, mental health, medical and family history, and substances the body produces like 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; cognitive tests at years 25, 30, and 35; and a brain magnetic resonance image (MRI) in a subset of participants at years 25, 30, and 35.