Childhood assets predicted cardiometabolic health with seemingly cumulative impacts, a recent study found. Therefore, identifying early assets may provide novel targets for prevention and elucidate pathways to positive adult health. Researchers used data are from 3,074 participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (mean age=17.8). 4 childhood assets were prospectively assessed via cognitive tests and parent report when children were between ages 8 and 10: strong executive functioning skills, prosocial behaviors, and low levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. Cardiometabolic health was assessed at ages 9 and 17 by using a composite dysregulation score derived from multiple biological parameters, including cholesterol, blood pressure, C-reactive protein, insulin resistance, and BMI. They found:

• After controlling for covariates (including sociodemographics, correlates of cardiometabolic health, and dysregulation scores at age 9), participants with multiple assets were 1.08 to 1.27 times more likely to be in optimal cardiometabolic health at age 17 compared with those with 0 or 1 asset.
• Each additional asset conferred a 6% greater likelihood of optimal health over time (relative risk=1.06).