People with higher levels of well-being are less likely to have cardiovascular issues, and an extensive and detailed look at the connection offers insights as to why. In a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association , researchers used data from more than 121,000 participants in the UK Biobank, a large health database in the United Kingdom. The study found that higher levels of well-being are associated with a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular problems, said senior author Dr.
Wen Sun, deputy director of the Stroke Center at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei. The study also linked higher well-being with healthier lifestyles and lower levels of inflammation, suggesting a possible behavioral and biological explanation for how well-being influences physical health. The UK database includes responses to questions about issues such as friendships, health, finances, general happiness and satisfaction with family.
Using that information, the researchers developed an index to measure well-being. The researchers then looked at who had experienced a stroke, coronary heart disease (when plaque buildup narrows or blocks the heart's arteries), heart attack, or heart failure (when the heart is not pumping as well as it should). They also examined a long list of healthy lifestyle factors, such as how much a person slept, how often they ate fruit, their television-watching habits and more.
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