Favorable Cardiovascular Health Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Adults in the United States: Results From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008 to 2024.
Ma W, Kim R, et al. • Journal of the American Heart Association • 2026
Hispanic and Latino adults exhibit both advantages and disadvantages in cardiovascular health compared with non-Hispanic White adults, with increasing prevalence of favorable blood lipids and nicotine exposure metrics but declining favorable blood glucose metrics over 2008 to 2024.
Key Findings
Results
Among Hispanic and Latino adults in HCHS/SOL, the prevalence of meeting the favorable Life's Essential 8 metric for blood lipids increased substantially over the study period.
Favorable blood lipid metric prevalence increased from 29.4% to 45.3% in HCHS/SOL participants across three study visits (2008–2024)
A similar but smaller increase was observed in NHANES Hispanic and Latino adults, from 30.6% to 38.9%
Participants were aged 28 to 74 years and free of cardiovascular disease
Favorable metric was defined as a Life's Essential 8 score ≥80 for the given metric
Results
The prevalence of meeting the favorable nicotine exposure metric increased among Hispanic and Latino adults over the study period in both cohorts.
In HCHS/SOL, favorable nicotine exposure prevalence increased from 56.3% to 63.4%
In NHANES Hispanic and Latino adults, favorable nicotine exposure increased from 60.8% to 67.1%
Nicotine exposure was identified as one of the most marked and persistent advantages for Hispanic and Latino adults compared with non-Hispanic White adults
This was measured across three study visits spanning 2008 to 2024
Results
The prevalence of meeting the favorable blood glucose metric declined among Hispanic and Latino adults over the study period.
In HCHS/SOL, favorable blood glucose metric prevalence declined from 44.6% to 37.5%
In NHANES Hispanic and Latino adults, favorable blood glucose prevalence declined from 33.6% to 30.0%
This declining trend was observed across both study cohorts, suggesting a consistent worsening of glucose-related cardiovascular health
Blood glucose was identified as one of the persistent disadvantages for Hispanic and Latino adults compared with non-Hispanic White adults
Results
Compared with non-Hispanic White adults in NHANES, Hispanic and Latino adults showed the most marked and persistent differences in nicotine exposure (advantage), body mass index (disadvantage), and blood glucose levels (disadvantage).
Nicotine exposure was more favorable among Hispanic and Latino adults relative to non-Hispanic White adults
Body mass index and glucose metrics were less favorable among Hispanic and Latino groups compared with non-Hispanic White adults
These differences were described as 'most marked and persistent' across the study period
Comparisons were made using both HCHS/SOL and NHANES data spanning 2008 to 2024
Methods
The study applied the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 framework to assess cardiovascular health trends across three visits from 2008 to 2024.
Life's Essential 8 metrics examined included nicotine exposure, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure
HCHS/SOL participants were aged 28 to 74 years and free of cardiovascular disease at enrollment
Comparisons were made between HCHS/SOL Hispanic and Latino participants and both Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic White adults from NHANES
A favorable cardiovascular health metric was defined as a Life's Essential 8 score ≥80
Conclusions
The authors concluded that targeted interventions and culturally tailored policies are needed to address cardiovascular health disparities in Hispanic and Latino adults.
The study identified both advantages (nicotine exposure) and disadvantages (BMI, blood glucose) in cardiovascular health among Hispanic and Latino adults relative to non-Hispanic White adults
The findings span a 16-year period (2008–2024) capturing contemporary trends
The study population included a 'diverse Hispanic and Latino population' across multiple background groups within HCHS/SOL
The authors specifically called for 'culturally tailored policies' to address observed disparities
What This Means
This research suggests that Hispanic and Latino adults in the United States have experienced both improvements and setbacks in heart health between 2008 and 2024. On the positive side, more Hispanic and Latino adults are meeting healthy targets for blood cholesterol levels and tobacco/nicotine avoidance over time. However, fewer adults in this group are meeting healthy blood sugar targets, which is concerning given the strong link between elevated blood sugar and diabetes and heart disease risk. These trends were observed in two large datasets — one focused specifically on Hispanic and Latino communities (HCHS/SOL) and one representing the broader U.S. population (NHANES).
When comparing Hispanic and Latino adults to non-Hispanic White adults, the study found that Hispanic and Latino adults tend to have better nicotine exposure profiles (meaning lower rates of tobacco use) but worse body weight and blood sugar profiles. These differences were consistent over the entire 16-year study period, suggesting they are not temporary fluctuations but rather stable patterns in cardiovascular health disparities between these groups.
This research suggests that a one-size-fits-all approach to heart disease prevention may not be sufficient. The distinct patterns seen in Hispanic and Latino communities — including both their relative strengths and vulnerabilities — highlight the importance of designing health programs and policies that are specifically tailored to the cultural, social, and biological factors affecting these populations. Addressing the worsening blood sugar trends in particular could be an important priority for reducing heart disease risk in Hispanic and Latino communities.
Ma W, Kim R, Isasi C, Gallo L, Perreira K, Trifan G, et al.. (2026). Favorable Cardiovascular Health Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Adults in the United States: Results From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008 to 2024.. Journal of the American Heart Association. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.125.047791