TOPLINE:

Cardiovascular risk factors such as high BMI, unfavorable lipid profiles, or high blood pressure from infancy to adolescence were associated with poorer cognitive function in young adulthood. These associations were particularly evident for cognitive flexibility.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers followed a cohort of 542 participants (56.1% female) from the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project from infancy to 26 years of age; the participants provided data on cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive function.
• Participants enrolled in the study were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups, with the intervention group receiving heart-healthy dietary counseling until 20 years of age.
• Cognitive function at 26 years of age was assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, focusing on six subsets: learning and memory, verbal memory, working memory, reaction time, information processing, and cognitive flexibility.
• Cardiovascular risk factors were BMI, waist circumference, cholesterol levels, lipid profiles, blood pressure, and A1c levels.
• The study looked at the association between early cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive function in young adulthood, with a focus on cumulative exposure during early childhood (7 months to 5 years), childhood (6-10 years), young adolescence (11-15 years), and adolescence (16-20 years).

TAKEAWAY:

• Higher BMI in childhood and early adolescence was inversely associated with information processing (P = .006 and P = .04, respectively), and higher BMI in early adolescence showed an inverse association with cognitive flexibility (P = .01).
• Childhood waist circumference was inversely associated with cognitive flexibility (P = .04). No links were observed between higher cumulative glucose and insulin exposures and any of the cognitive domains evaluated.
• Elevated serum levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol during early adolescence and adolescence were linked to poorer verbal memory (P = .03 and P = .04, respectively). Lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in childhood were inversely associated with cognitive flexibility (P = .01).
• Higher systolic blood pressure in childhood was inversely associated with cognitive flexibility (P = .02), and higher diastolic blood pressure in early childhood was inversely associated with working memory (P = .03).

IN PRACTICE:

“This study strengthens evidence on the important role of cardiovascular risk factors contributing to cognitive function even early on during the life course,” the authors of the study wrote. “These results suggest that even slightly elevated cardiovascular risk factors might play a role in adulthood cognitive function. Thus, an even more aggressive approach to cardiovascular risk management in childhood might be meaningful,” they concluded.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Henri Salo, MD, Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. It was published online on January 15, 2026, in Pediatrics.

LIMITATIONS:

The cohort was healthy, with little variation in cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive function. The lack of baseline cognitive data prevented understanding of early cognitive changes. The homogeneous ethnic background of the participants might limit the applicability of the findings to other populations.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by grants from the Academy of Finland, the Juho Vainio Foundation, the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, and other sources. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.