Positive experiences can protect children’s heart health | Positive experiences may also help explain why some children thrive among adversity, acting as a buffer to some of the possible negative flow on effects on cardiovascular health.

From the article: Experiencing adversity can harm a child’s heart health but positive experiences provide a buffer, according to a [new study](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2024.132262).

The research, led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and published in the International Journal of Cardiology, found adverse experiences negatively impact childhood cardiovascular health yet positive ones had a beneficial effect and could prevent some of the damage caused by adversity.

For the study, data was sourced from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), which tracked 5,107 babies from birth up to 12 years old age.

It found childhood adversity experienced from birth to 11 years, such as experiencing domestic violence and parental mental health illness, could lead to poor cardiovascular health later in childhood. Conversely, positive experiences like warm parenting and living in a safe living environment were linked to better heart health.

Positive experiences may also help explain why some children thrive among adversity, acting as a buffer to some of the possible negative flow on effects on cardiovascular health.