Financial problems and food insecurity were the most notable accelerators of heart aging.
According to a new study from the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota, USA), constant worry about money can wear down the heart just as much as traditional risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
Researchers note that financial problems and food insecurity are most strongly associated with accelerated aging of the heart, as reported in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
The researchers found that anxiety over finances and lack of food causes the heart to age approximately as much as exposure to conventional risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, or a previous heart attack. According to the researchers, accelerated aging of the heart increases the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases and premature death.
In the study, scientists analyzed the "age" of the hearts of more than 280,000 Mayo Clinic patients who received treatment from 2018 to 2023. They used ECGs with AI elements to determine how much each person's heart condition is ahead of or corresponds to their chronological age. They then compared the data with survey responses that assessed social health factors—stress levels, physical activity, social support, living conditions, financial difficulties, access to food, transportation, dietary habits, and education.
Overall, it was found that social conditions have the most significant impact on how quickly the cardiovascular system ages—even more so than conventional medical risk factors. Among these conditions, financial problems and food insecurity were the most notable accelerators of heart aging. The authors concluded that social factors such as money troubles, poor housing conditions, and low physical activity could serve as important indicators of the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases—sometimes matching or even exceeding traditional risk factors.
For instance, the study found that financial difficulties increase the likelihood of premature death by 60%, unstable housing by 18%, while a previous heart attack increases the risk by 10%, and smoking by 27%.
