In a new study from Boston University, researchers found middle-aged men who worry a lot have a higher chance of developing risk factors that can lead to heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes as they age.
They found men who often felt anxious or overwhelmed developed heart disease risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol at a faster rate than their less-worried peers.
The biggest worriers had a 10%-13% greater chance of eventually accumulating six or more risk factors, compounding the risks for heart disease and stroke associated with normal aging.
In the study, the team analyzed data from 1,561 men between 1975 and 2015. Participants, 97% of whom were white, included veterans and non-veterans whose average age at the start was 53.
The men were assessed for neuroticism – the tendency to interpret situations as stressful, threatening or overwhelming – and worry levels through two mail-in surveys.
They also had physical exams, including blood tests, every three to five years until they died or the study period ended.
Seven cardiometabolic risk factors were measured, including blood pressure; total cholesterol; triglycerides; obesity; fasting blood sugar; and an inflammation marker called erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
The team found overall, the men developed one cardiometabolic risk factor per decade from ages 33 to 65, with an average of 3.8 risk factors by age 65.
People with high levels of neuroticism had more risk factors than their less-stressed peers at all ages and were 13% more likely to develop six or more cardiometabolic risk factors as they aged.
Those who said they worried a lot were 10% more likely to accumulate six or more cardiometabolic risk factors.
Individuals with high levels of neuroticism are prone to experience negative emotions – such as fear, anxiety, sadness and anger – more intensely and more frequently.
Worry refers to our attempts at problem-solving around an issue whose future outcome is uncertain and potentially positive or negative.
While the study did not analyze whether treating anxiety could reduce heart-related health risks, the team says people who spend a lot of time feeling this way should be aware of their risk factors and take steps to manage them.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about heart problem linked to 5 times higher death risk in COVID-19, and vitamin that could prevent muscle damage after heart attack.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about antioxidant drug that could help prevent heart attacks and strokes, and results showing that drinking coffee this way can help prevent stroke, heart disease.
The study is published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. One author of the study is Lewina Lee.
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