Table 1.
Definitions for and Questions Used to Determine the Cardiovascular Health Index Scorea
| Component | NHANES Question(s) / Data Used for Component | Inadequate (0 points) |
Average (1 point) |
Optimum (2 points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoking | Based upon responses to questions: “Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your life?”, “Do you now smoke cigarettes?”, “How long since you last smoked cigarettes?” | Current smoker | Former smoker who quit less than a year ago | Never smoked OR former smoker who quit a year or more ago |
| Body Mass Index (kg/m2) | Calculated based on the height and weight measurements obtained during the clinical examination. | ≥30 kg/m2 | 25.0–29.9 ≥ 30 kg/m2 | < 25.0 ≥ 30 kg/m2 |
| Physical Activity | Based upon questions addressing intensity, frequency and duration of physical activity. Moderate intensity activities: those causing “light sweating or a slight to moderate increase in breathing or heart rate.” Vigorous intensity activities: those causing “heavy sweating or large increases in breathing or heart rate”. | None | Moderate intensity (< 150 mins/wk), OR vigorous intensity (< 75 mins/wk) | Moderate intensity (≥150 mins/wk), OR vigorous intensity (≥75 mins/wk) OR Combined intensity (≥150 min/wk) |
| Diet | Scored as follows: ≥4.5 cups per day of fruits and vegetables (1 point), ≥2 servings of 3.5-oz of fish per week (1 point), ≥3 servings of 1-oz of fiber-rich whole grains per day (1 point), < 1500 mg sodium per day (1 point), and < 450 kcal of added sugar in sugar-sweetened beverages per week (1 point). | 0–1 diet points | 2–3 diet points | 4–5 diet points |
| Total Cholesterol (mg/dL)b | Determined according to procedures described in the NHANES Laboratory/Medical Technologists Procedures Manual for the collecting and storing blood samples, and for laboratory processing of plasma lipids and glucose [49]. | ≥240 mg/dL [≥6.21 mmol/L] |
200–239 mg/dL OR achieved goal on cholesterol lowering medication [5.17–6.18 mmol/L) |
< 200 mg/dL and not on cholesterol lowering medication [< 5.17 mmol/L] |
| Blood pressure (mmHg) | Measured by qualified technicians after the subjects had been sitting quietly for 5 min. Blood pressure measurement were taken at least 3 times on each subject and the average of these values were used for this study. | SBP ≥140 mmHg OR DBP ≥90 mmHg | SBP 120–139 mmHg OR DBP 80–89 mmHg OR achieved goal on blood pressure lowering medication | SBP < 120 mmHg and DBP < 80 AND not on blood pressure lowering medication |
| Fasting blood glucose (mg/dL)b | Determined according to procedures described in the NHANES Laboratory/Medical Technologists Procedures Manual for the collecting and storing blood samples, and for laboratory processing of plasma lipids and glucose [49]. | ≥126 mg/dL [≥7.0 mmol/L] |
100–125 mg/dL OR achieved goal on glucose lowering medication [5.5–6.99 mmol/L] |
< 100 mg/dL AND not on glucose lowering medication [< 5.5 mmol/L] |
aComponents, cut-off values, and scoring criteria as defined in Lloyd-Jones et al. (2010) [18]
bSI units shown in square brackets