Synchronous improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors within married couples

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular disease risk factor scores of married individuals are correlated; however, there is little prospective data on whether changes in risk factors are synchronous. The objective of this study is to determine whether improvements in CVD risk in one partner are associated with improvements in the other partner. Method: We conducted secondary analyses of data from 1,662 married or domestic partnered couples. Measures of cardiovascular risk were obtained two times one year apart: body mass index (BMI), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides, and blood pressure. The Actor Partner Interdependence Model was used to conduct statistical analyses. We tested whether Individual’s and partner’s own scores for the CVD risk factors at an initial health examination affected their partner’s CVD risk factor scores one year later. Findings: Except for triglycerides, improvements in the partner’s CVD risk factor scores were significantly associated with an improved score for the corresponding CVD risk factor for the other partner at examination 2 (BMI -0.72; Systolic blood pressure -5.24 units; Diastolic blood pressure -4.54 units; HDL 4.96 units; LDL -6.67 units, all p < .01). The effects of improvements in one partner on the other partner’s scores at time 2 were significantly stronger for BMI, HDL and triglycerides if the other partner had higher scores for these risk factors at the first examination. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that new interventions to maintain or achieve health should consider dynamics of behaviours within partnered couples to capitalize on partner effects within couples.