Dads, Your Heart Risk Starts Sooner Than You Think—Here’s How to Prevent It

Heart disease doesn’t appear out of nowhere. A recent long-term study in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that men start developing clinically significant cardiovascular disease about seven years earlier than women, often beginning around age 35.

The study followed 5,112 people across four U.S. states who enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study between 1985 and 1986, when participants were 18 to 30 years old. All were initially healthy and free of cardiovascular disease. Researchers conducted regular exams and surveys over a median 34-year follow-up period, documenting 227 cases of cardiovascular disease in men and 160 in women.

“The 10-year gap is a commonly cited statistic that men develop heart disease about 10 years before women,” said Alexa Freedman, assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and senior study author.

Much of this gap is driven by coronary heart disease, which occurs when the heart’s arteries narrow or become clogged with plaque.

The study found that men’s heart risk starts to rise around age 35. By age 50, men had a 6% 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease, compared with 3% for women. When it comes to coronary heart disease specifically, 2% of men had developed the condition by about age 48, while women didn’t reach the same level until around age 58—almost a ten-year difference.

“Heart disease doesn’t happen overnight; it develops over years,” explained study coauthor Sadiya Khan, professor of cardiovascular epidemiology at Northwestern. “Even if you don’t have heart disease at that time, your risk can start at that time.”

Interestingly, the difference in risk between men and women could not be explained by traditional factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, or smoking. Unmeasured social and environmental factors, such as differences in work and stress, may contribute to cardiovascular risk over time.

Khan added that estrogen may provide some protective effect for women, delaying cardiovascular risk until menopause. “After menopause, and particularly during perimenopause, that risk can accelerate,” she explained.

Stroke risk, however, showed little difference between men and women, and heart failure only slightly favored earlier incidence in men by age 65.

Freedman points out that many men don’t get regular checkups. “Men in their 30s and 40s often skip routine care, so scheduling preventive visits is one of the best ways to lower their risk of cardiovascular disease,” she said.

• Schedule Checkups – Regular screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar are essential.

• Stay Active – Incorporate movement into your day, whether it’s family walks, bike rides, or playing with the kids.

• Eat Heart-Healthy Foods – Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, and cut back on processed foods.

• Manage Stress – Take time for yourself through relaxing weekends with the family.

• Know Your Numbers – Keep track of key health markers like blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar so you can act early.

• Follow Life’s Essential 8 – Avoid tobacco, maintain a healthy weight, manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, eat well, stay active, and get enough quality sleep.

Click here for more tips on how to reduce your risk of heart disease.