Study shows where women live can shape heart health for decades

by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute

edited by Andrew Zinin

Andrew Zinin

Chief Editor

Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process
Editors' notes

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

trusted source

proofread

The GIST Add as preferred source

Women who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods face worse heart health and experience faster declines as they approach menopause, according to a long-term study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.

Researchers followed 1,200 women in eastern Massachusetts for more than 20 years, from pregnancy into midlife. The study, published in Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes, measured heart health at five time points using a score based on eight health and lifestyle factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol, sleep, diet and physical activity.

Women living in the most socially vulnerable neighborhoods scored about 6 to 10 points lower on heart health across more than two decades of follow-up compared with those in the least disadvantaged neighborhoods. These differences were evident as early as three years after enrollment and persisted into midlife. They also experienced faster declines before menopause, a key period for rising cardiovascular risk.

Socioeconomic factors also shaped outcomes. Women with lower income, less education or who identified as non-Hispanic Black had lower heart health scores throughout the study.

Because heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women, these findings highlight how long-term exposure to social and environmental conditions shapes cardiovascular risk over time.

Even modest differences in heart health scores may matter. Prior research suggests that small decreases in these scores are associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease and mortality, underscoring the potential long-term impact of these disparities.

"Our study shows that heart health in midlife is shaped by more than personal choices. Income, education, and neighborhood conditions may all play a role," said senior author Izzuddin Aris, a Harvard Medical School associate professor at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.

Neighborhood conditions continued to affect heart health even after researchers considered income and education. Women who lived for years in highly vulnerable neighborhoods had persistently lower scores and worse cardiovascular health trajectories.

"The years before and around menopause may be an important time to support women's heart health," Aris added. "This is especially true for women living in under-resourced neighborhoods."

The findings highlight opportunities to improve access to healthy food, safe places to be active and quality health care so women can protect their heart health over time.

More information

Zhi Lin et al, Associations of Sociodemographic and Neighborhood Vulnerability With Cardiovascular Health in Midlife Women in the United States, Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes (2026). DOI: 10.1161/circoutcomes.126.013433

Key medical concepts

MenopauseCardiovascular Diseases

Clinical categories

CardiologyWomen's healthPreventive medicineCommon illnesses & PreventionHealthy livingHealthy aging Provided by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute Who's behind this story?

Andrew Zinin

Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →

Citation: Study shows where women live can shape heart health for decades (2026, July 18) retrieved 18 July 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-women-heart-health-decades.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.